O Tell Me The Truth About Love
by Shutters
Summary: Can Alex and Gene work through their guilt and discover their true feelings for one another? Begins in 1982, then continues in 2008. Gene/Alex
1. Goodbye

**This is my second A2A fanfic - it's a completely separate story to **_**Misdirection**_**.**

**The title is from a poem by WH Auden – to read the poem, which will feature later in this story, visit my profile page.**

* * *

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter One - Goodbye_

"This is all your fault!"

"_My_ fault?"

"Yes Gene, _your _fault," Alex spat back at him, "Did, or did I not, say only this morning that if we went in guns blazing we'd be playing right into their hands?"

"I didn't hear you comin' up with any better ideas, Bolly!" Gene was yelling now from across the squad room, his hands balled into fists - _bloody women!_

"Ah! You are impossible Gene Hunt!" Alex threw her hands up over her head as she shouted back, matching him in volume and tone. This was quickly turning into one of their worse rows ever.

Yet another public display of their mutual inability to listen to one another – what must the rest of the team think of them? But it was far too late to back down now.

"Well if you hate it so much 'ere why don't you just transfer?" Alex let out an exasperated sigh as Gene stormed into his office, only to return a moment later clutching a piece of paper in his hand. "This came this morning. Transfer request. Seems that DCI Stuart Hess would very much like you to join _his_ team, though I can't for the life of me think why!"

Ray, Chris and Shaz watched the verbal tennis match attentively, their heads quickly flicking between their DI and their DCI.

Alex turned away, shaking her head, "I'm not going to transfer."

"Oh well. We'll have to put up with you for a bit longer then," sneered Gene, "Hyde will have to do without the infamous Alex Drake."

Alex's stomach lurched - had she heard him right? She steadied herself on the desk before slowly turning back to face Gene, "Hyde? Let me see that." She snatched the paper from his grasp before he could pull it away.

Gene watched her as she read the short letter, a wide, excited smile slowly spreading across her face. _Surely she wasn't going to say yes… Was she?_

"Hyde!" she muttered quietly to herself, and laughed, "This is it! I'm going home." Alex read the message through again before looking back up at Gene, "I'm going to see the Super."

"Thought you just said you didn't want a transfer." Gene scowled and grabbed the letter back from her; this wasn't going at all how he had planned.

"That was before." Alex answered, skilfully removing the paper once more from Gene's fingers, "This is _Hyde,_ Gene! So it looks like you won't be having to 'put up with me' after all!" She spun round on the spot, her curls flying out in all directions, and headed towards the door.

Gene would replay that moment again and again to himself later: him staring despairingly after Alex as she bounced away, out of the squad room, out of his life. The whole conversation had happened so fast that he could hardly take it in.

Once she had disappeared completely from sight, Gene's gaze fell on the remaining members of his team, "What the bloody 'ell are you lot lookin' at? You could at least _pretend_ to be doin' some work!" And with one final glare around the room, Gene stormed into his office, slamming the door behind him.

Gene didn't speak to Alex when she returned from her talk with the Superintendent. He hadn't needed to. The sight of her face as she sat back down at her desk told him all he needed to know – she'd been given her transfer.

He kept to his office all afternoon, watching Alex closely through the blinds. This had to be a wind up - her typically female way of getting back at him for this morning's disastrous raid… She wouldn't really leave.

Of all the scenarios he had gone through in his mind, he hadn't expected this. His plan had been to mention the letter to her later that evening, in Luigi's, but only as a joke. She was _not_ supposed to say yes.

A few weeks later, however, everything had gotten a lot worse. The transfer confirmation had been sent through, and Alex had given her two weeks' notice. She was really going and there was nothing he could do to stop her.

And as Alex got noticeably happier by the day, Gene grew gradually more miserable.

She hadn't even discussed the transfer with him - that's what hurt the most. Gene had really felt they had been growing closer - they had certainly been spending more and more time together…

But she hadn't even needed time to think it over. Did she really care so little for their team - for him - that she would leave at the first opportunity? _Obviously yes, _he thought bitterly. He'd had such high hopes for 1982, Gene mused, but they weren't even into February yet and Alex was leaving him for good. _Fan-bloody-tastic!_

* * *

The night of Alex's leaving party arrived far sooner than Gene would have liked. But he couldn't face it.

He sat back in his chair, feet propped up on the desk. The team had all disappeared over the road to drink themselves stupid - helping Alex to celebrate her imminent escape...

Yes - he'd definitely give Luigi's a miss tonight.

"Guv?" Gene's head snapped up from his half empty glass.

"Granger? What're you doin' 'ere? Why aren't you at Drake's leaving do?"

"Umm…I was. But then I notice you weren't Guv…" she trailed off nervously, unable to look Gene in the eye.

But the shouting she had expected from him never came. Instead Gene gave a loud sigh as his shoulders slumped forward and his eyes returned to his drink, "I can't."

Shaz didn't reply at once, this downcast side of Gene was almost unnerving. "Is this how you want her to remember you?"

Gene looked up at her, surprised at how quickly she had read his feelings - Alex had brought out a good copper in her. He almost smiled, sadly. Alex had brought out the best in all of them.

"I know she wants you there Guv, anyone could see it."

Gene sat motionless for a moment, her words resonating in his mind. Then, with his decision made, he got up. Shaz smiled warmly.

His head cried: _Don't! _But he took no notice, Shaz was right – this was not how he wanted Alex to think of him when she had started her happy new life in Hyde.

* * *

Gene spent the first part of the evening quietly making his way through a bottle house red. From his position at the bar he watched his soon-to-be-ex-DI from a distance. More than a few times their eyes met across the room, but Gene never moved to join the main group and she seemed always to be deep in conversation and their eyes never held for more than a moment.

Luigi stopped beside Gene and followed his gaze: Alex. He sighed, "Maybe she will not go. She has said before that she was leaving, but then she did not."

"No. Not this time."

"Well then, maybe she just needs a reason to stay, eh? Talk to her Mister Hunt, tell her how you feel, I think she would listen."

"Too bloody late for that, Luigi." The older man shrugged and left Gene to his brooding.

Alex had seen Gene arrive and had wanted nothing more than to join him at the bar but there were too many people between them. Every time she tried to move his way, someone else pulled her into their conversation.

Finally she managed to free herself from the groups of well-wishers and made her way to his side, a sad smile gracing her face. "Do I get a hug, Gene?" he said nothing and continued to stare intently at his drink. Alex sighed and took the seat beside him. "Tomorrow's my last day, Gene. This is my last evening here, and you won't even speak to me."

"What do yer want me to say?"

"Oh, I don't know, 'Goodbye' maybe?"

"Why? I'll see you at work tomorrow." Alex said nothing and after an awkward pause Gene exhaled heavily. "So you're really going this time then?"

"Yes Gene, I'm really going."

He pursed his lips and nodded. "You 'aven't even been 'ere a year."

"This was never meant to be a permanent position, I thought I'd made that clear?"

"Hmm." He fell silent once more.

A couple of minutes dripped by, and Alex sat, fidgeting uncomfortably, "Well, I'll leave you to it then," she said, nodding towards his drink, "I'll be out of your hair for good soon, don't worry." She knew she was being unnecessarily callous, but his silence was tearing her apart.

Alex got up and walked over to a small group including Chris and Shaz. She didn't trust herself to speak, and was too upset to listen, so Alex just stood, drink in hand, and concentrated on keeping her face neutral. _Why did he have to make this so hard?_

* * *

The evening finally came to an end. Alex systematically made her way around the room, saying her goodbyes. A watery-eyed Shaz had hugged her tightly and even Ray had solemnly shaken her hand. Soon only one person was left.

Alex walked up to Gene and stood closer to him than she would normally have dared, close enough to feel his breath on her face. "Goodbye, Gene." Tears glittered in her eyes. "I know I've said it before but I _will_ miss you." His face remained impassive, he didn't move. But his eyes bored into hers with such intensity that Alex felt her knees go weak.

She stayed for a moment longer than was natural, looking hopefully up into his face. Waiting. _Say something Gene, please!_ she silently begged. But it was in vain.

She let her head fall, her shoulders sag and her eyes drop to the ground, as she walked slowly away.

Gene felt sick to his stomach when he saw her turn away from him. He didn't miss Luigi's disapproving look either. Resisting the urge to call her back, Gene watched as she weaved a route through the groups of happily drunk people, towards the stairs, "If I hold you now Alex, I might not be able to let you go." He whispered, and downed the last of his drink.

Gene emerged onto the street a few minutes later; he looked wistfully up at Alex's window, a dull ache pounding in his chest. "Goodbye Bols," he murmured, before he too headed home.

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**What do you think so far?**


	2. Hyde or Home?

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Two – Hyde or Home?_

Alex woke early next morning. Opening her eyes was unnecessary to know that she was still in 1982. With the disappointment came a single salty tear.

She wasn't sure what exactly she had been expecting: to be at home with Molly maybe, or in a hospital bed in 2008 - for this nightmare to be over… But no, that would be too easy.

Alex swung her legs out of bed and stumbled blindly through to the kitchen, answering the call of her caffeine deprived mind: _tea!_

On the table beside last night's unwashed plates (what was the point in doing dishes if you were never going to use the plates again?) was the letter from Hyde. She knew the message by heart but re-read it all the same, as though she drew some comfort from holding the slightly crumpled paper in her hands.

The words weren't explicit, but their significance lay with what they implied to Alex. The letter said only that 'all the arrangements had been made' and that today would be her last day 'in her current situation'.

At first Alex had been so certain that this meant she was, at last, going home, that she hadn't even considered the other possibility - that she really was just going to a new station, in a different part of the country.

For the first time a wave of something not unlike fear swept through her veins. _Could she continue to live in 1982 without Gene Hunt?_ But as quickly as the thought had occurred to her it vanished. She was a mature adult after all – there would be life after Gene Hunt!

Besides, Hyde had always meant Home for Sam. Surely the same was true for her.

* * *

An hour later Alex was leaning against the wall in the CID kitchen, once more waiting for a kettle to boil. _This could be the last time I'll be here, doing this,_ she thought with a hint of sadness. Gene stepped through the door, "Enough there for me?" he asked. She nodded and placed a second mug on the kitchen surface beside her own.

Neither could meet the others eye as Alex passed Gene his tea.

"About last night…" He trailed off, not knowing how to finish his sentence. Unable to say what he really felt and unwilling to compromise, he settled for silence, hoping that she would understand.

"It's ok."

_No_, he thought, _it's not ok!_ But again, he said nothing. They stood awkwardly for a moment, "You don't have to go-"

"Yes. I do, Gene." She interrupted firmly, meeting his eyes at last.

"What's so special about _Hyde_?" He said 'Hyde' as though the word itself left a bad taste in his mouth.

Alex sighed, "My daughter has to come first Gene, it can't be any other way."

The Manc Lion chewed nervously on the inside of his lip, _it's now or never…_

"Yer not leaving 'cause of me, are yer?" The words tumbled out of his mouth and he immediately looked away, ashamed.

"No." Alex said quickly, taking his free hand in both of hers, a shadow of a smile on her lips, "Its just… time to move on… or back, depending on how you look at it."

Her words, just as cryptic as ever, he brushed aside. But her touch had caught him by surprise. Gene looked first at their hands, still joined, and then up to her face. Their gazes locked. _Was there something in those eyes? Something she had until now kept hidden? Maybe she's as sorry to leave me, as I am to let her go… Maybe I should kiss her; maybe then she'd stay…_

But, for better or for worse, Gene was spared from making that decision. "Guv, phone!"

With one last lingering look at Alex's softened features, Gene marched from the kitchen to Ray's desk, taking the phone from his hand with a scowl. "Hunt." The scowl only deepened as he listened. "Usual place," he said and dropped the phone back into its cradle, "Right Drake, we've got work to do." And with no further explanation he left the squad room.

Alex hurried after him, leaving her half drunk tea to go cold. "Where are we going?"

"To see a snout."

* * *

The Quattro's tires screamed as Gene stepped hard on the brakes. He climbed from the car and crossed over to the opposite pavement, where a tall pale man, who bore an unnatural resemblance to a stick insect, stood waiting.

"Spit it out Dave. Must be good to get you out of bed at this hour in the morning."

"I'm out late Mr Hunt, not up early." His eyes flicked nervously from Gene to Alex, who was standing close behind him. "Who's that?"

Gene knocked him back against the wall, "'_That_' is DI Drake, and you'll be more polite to 'er in the future." Dave's eyes widened as he continued to stare at Alex over Gene's shoulder. His agitation increased a notch.

"So Dave?" Gene spat.

Finally the man turned his attention back to the senior officer, "There's talk of a bomb. Somewhere local, sometime soon. Can't tell you more than that."

"Who's planning it?"

"I dunno Mr Hunt, but…" again his eyes darted back to Alex, "I'd be careful if I were you Alex Drake."

Alex felt her blood run cold. Gene, who had momentarily relaxed his grip, slammed Dave back against the wall, pinning him there, "Now why would yer say that Dave?"

"I've heard that name a fair few times these last few days, didn't know who it were till jus' now, but seeing her here with you today… I'd jus' be careful DI Drake, that's all I'm saying." Gene released Dave's shoulders and stepped back from his snout. "That's got to be good for a fiver Mr Hunt." Gene fished a note out of his pocket and walked back to the car.

To an onlooker he may have appeared calm, Alex, however, knew better.

She joined him immediately in the Quattro but neither spoke until Gene had skidded the car around several corners, stopped suddenly in a quiet side street and turned in his seat to look directly at Alex.

"Right Drake, none of yer usual rubbish. This may be yer last case but I'm still yer DCI so no keeping information back or going AWOL on me. Yer tellin' me everything yer know, and yer tellin' me now."

Alex's temper instantly flared, "How dare you? If I knew anything about this case of course I'd tell you, but I don't. And what about you Gene? What can you tell me?"

"This is the first I've heard about any bomb!"

"But your snout: Dave – is he reliable?"

"Always has been in the past."

"Then I suggest we head straight back to the station, instead of you wasting our time here interrogating me!"

* * *

Back at the station - many hours and several mugs of tea later - the only evidence they had to go on was still the tip off Gene had received from his snout. Morning had turned to afternoon unnoticed, and now afternoon was beginning to blend into early evening.

Everyone was frustrated, but Alex was more on edge than any of the others. Her tension was far from eased by Gene, who had not let her leave the station since they had both returned that morning. He himself had been out more than once with Chris and Ray, but Alex, as her name seemed to be their only known link with the current threat, had been instructed to stay behind and go through all her old cases that had involved explosives – hardly an activity requiring the attention of a DI!

The first case that sprang to mind was the deaths of Tim and Caroline Price, but even that had given them nothing to work with since Layton had promptly disappeared soon after the car bomb.

"Guv, I think we may have something," Ray called, Gene left his office to join the rest of the team as Ray turned to face Alex, "There's been a letter delivered for you." He passed her a sealed envelope.

Turning the envelope over, she saw her name printed clearly on the front. "Where did this come from?"

"Left on the front desk. Viv found it, but no one saw it being delivered."

She opened it with slightly shaky hands. "It says: _**'To Alex, south bank outside Bankside Power Station.**__'_ I think we can assume this is to do with the bomb."

"That power station closed last year, didn't it Guv?" Chipped in Chris.

"Yeah."

"Did it? I don't remember that," asked Alex, thinking back over 1981 as she had known it.

"It was the week before you arrived, 'ad a lot of trouble from the workers when they shut it down. An' then jus' as we thought we'd seen the back of the place we get called out to a drugs-raid-gone-wrong on a boat down there and, well, you know the rest." But at Alex's confused expression Gene continued, "We arrested Edward Markham and picked you up, that was yer first day on the team."

Alex collapsed into the nearest chair as her mind buzzed with the sudden rush of new information. After a day of every lead coming to a dead end, it seemed that they were finally getting somewhere.

_So I'm being sent back to where this all began – but why? And by who?_

"We have to get down there."

* * *

Alex turned slowly on the spot to fully take in her surroundings. It was just as it had been all those months ago, but as she surveyed the scene before her it was not the empty power station looming up towards the heavens on one side and the long dock, leading out over the Thames to the same boat where she had woken, on her other that she saw. January 1982 seemed to melt away and instead Alex saw Tate Modern beside her and the Millennium Bridge stretching out over the river.

2008's London felt so close, so real.

Gene and Ray were busy cornering off the area, though they needn't have bothered, there was no one in sight. And then the wait began.

The three solitary figures stood silently on the south bank of the river. The sun had long since set, though as for where the day had gone none of the three could say. They seemed to have achieved very little, yet here they were - waiting for an explosion that may or may not take place. Bomb squad were on their way, of course, but had not been able to give an approximate time of arrival.

Gene, Alex and Ray looked out at the lonely boat; the river was a silk ribbon, its surface undisturbed by any activity, natural or otherwise. Their silhouettes outlined only by the light of a ghostly moon suspended alone in the clear winter sky. Their breath rose in a cloud before each of them, tonight would be another chilly January night.

The silence was broken by Chris's voice booming out of the radio, "Boss?"

Alex lifted the radio to her mouth, "Go ahead Chris."

"There's been another message for you, delivered in the same way as the first, saying: _'__**To Alex, we put things right at eight minutes past eight.**__'_ So at least we know it's going off this evening."

"How do you know that Chris, couldn't it mean tomorrow morning?"

"No Boss, it's written like a twenty-four hour clock: twenty-o-eight." Alex dropped the radio, her mouth hanging open.

Gene swore loudly, giving Alex a look full of contempt as he bent to pick up the damaged radio and collect up the batteries, which had been released on the impact with the ground.

But Alex didn't see, hear or even care. _20:08? _She staggered a few paces away from her colleagues, "Is this it?" she screamed up at the sky, "Is this how I get home?"

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	3. Eternal Sleep

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Three – Eternal Sleep_

Alex spun around to face the boat. The boat that was, in that one moment, both an insignificant detail and the most vital component of this whole world – whether imaginary or not. Her life was a muddled timeline of events. Her past, present and future lay distorted before her, but all seeming to simultaneously coexist, linked together by this place - by that boat.

_This was where the nightmare had begun. S_he had stumbled along that dock in her confused and borderline hysterical state the day Layton's bullet had sent her back to 1981.

_This is where it would all end_. Home was at the end of that dock. It had to be… didn't it? Either way, she had to try – for her daughter. _For Molly_. Decision made.

She felt dizzy with fear and excitement. _Could this really be it? Am I really going home?_

Gene watched in disbelief as Alex began to walk away from relative safety, towards the doomed boat, "Alex! Get back 'ere you dozy cow!"

"No Gene. I have to do this." She continued on her purposeful march forwards.

"ALEX!" But she ignored him, "Shit! How long 'ave we got?"

Ray looked at his watch, "About three minutes Guv. Yer not going after 'er?" It was too late though, as Gene was already heading towards the dock, along which Alex had just disappeared from sight.

"I'm gettin' too old for this," Gene muttered as he jogged along the wooden walkway. He turned onto the boat and jumped down the few steps into the cabin. And then he saw Alex.

She was standing with her back to him only a few meters away, and she was violently trembling – so violently that he could have seen her shaking even from a distance.

"Alex."

She spun around in surprise, "Gene! What're you doing?"

"Was goin' t' ask you the same question Bols."

"Go back! What about Chris and Ray? The team? They need you!"

"The team needs _you_ too, Bolly… I need you."

She shook her head, "I'm leaving anyway."

"To _Hyde!_ I can't lose you like this."

"This is how it has to be, Gene. I'm sorry. Get out of here, your running out of time." Mentally she fought against her natural survival instinct - telling her to go back with Gene. Instead she turned away as the first few tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. But Gene's arms stopped her, turning her back to face him.

She struggled hard to free herself from his grip, but he would not release her. "Alex. _Please_." His voice was desperate, his eyes silently begging her.

A quiet sob caught in her throat. The mixture of confusion and distress in his anguished expression caused a hidden emotion to stir within her. But she would not, _could_ not, let him change her mind.

Alex tried to say, "I'm sorry," but no words left her mouth. She bit down on her now quivering lower lip and tried again, "I can't explain. I need to do this. And you need to leave! Now Gene!"

She attempted yet again to break free from Gene's grasp and to push him away, but he continued to hold her tightly, pulling her into him, "I'm not leaving you Alex."

Gene had never considered himself to be psychic before, but just as the crucial moment, eight minutes past eight, arrived he knew exactly what was about to happen. He tried to drag Alex towards the steps, the only exit, knowing their only chance was to get off the boat. But his efforts came a moment too late...

The explosion alone was enough to temporarily deafen both Gene and Alex. A tremor passed through the boat throwing the pair together as they concentrated every effort on staying upright.

Alex clung to Gene's jacket as smoke stung her eyes and dust filled her lungs. The ceiling gave an unnerving groan, and something on the upper deck collapsed - blocking the steps. The little light by which they had been able to see before was extinguished.

"Gene?"

He hugged her tighter to his chest, "I'm 'ere."

"I'm so sorry. You weren't _meant _to be here," she spluttered.

"No where I'd rather be Bols," he said lightly, "an' I'm sorry too, for last night."

"It's ok. You were angry."

Gene tipped her chin up slightly so he could faintly make out her face, "No Bols, not angry. I _wanted_ to hug you - God, I wanted to kiss you. But one kiss, one night even…" he shook his head, "It would never have been enough." Tears streamed down her cheeks, and he gently brushed them away with his fingers.

A distant crackle and the intensity of the smoke told Gene that at least part of the boat was on fire. They were trapped, Gene realised, and felt all his hopes of escaping leave him instantly.

Alex felt herself getting light-headed and sensed Gene's grip on her loosening. Together they slowly collapsed onto the ground.

"Why are you here with me, Gene Hunt? Why did you stay?"

"I was needed, Bols."

Alex smiled weakly. She leaned up and pushed her lips to his in a clumsy kiss. "Thank you," she murmured against his mouth. The brief, but mesmerising contact, seemed to give him courage. He sat up straighter and gently guided Alex's head onto his chest.

Gene stroked her hair as he felt her breathing becoming slower. And only when he was sure that Alex had slipped into an eternal sleep did Gene allow himself to do the same.


	4. Waking Up

**Thank you for all the encouraging reviews.**

* * *

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Four – Waking up_

Alex's head throbbed painfully. She could sense movement nearby but her eyes seemed glued shut. With difficulty, she priced her eyelids apart and blinked.

The room was full of blurred shapes and colours. She blinked again. Gradually more detail emerged. Alex could make out three hazy individuals, and as she squinted at the nearest of the unfocused figures Molly's beaming face came slowly into focus.

She shifted to look at the two men standing at the foot of her bed. On the left was a man whose face was older than when Alex had last seen him, aged in a moment by the passing of many years. Evan.

Next to him was a short man who Alex correctly assumed to be a doctor. He smiled warmly as his patient's gaze rested on him, "I'm Doctor Hess. It's good to have you back with us Alex. You had us worried for a while but I'm hopeful you will make a full recovery now you've woken up. Don't be afraid to go to sleep, you need plenty of rest. I'll come back and talk to you properly in a few hours."

He smiled again, a wide genuine smile, as he left the room, and in that instant the realisation dawned on her: _I'm home._

Alex tried to sit up but couldn't find the strength. She rolled onto her side and stared once more at Molly. But looking was not enough, she had to be sure, "Mols-" Alex croaked and, finally, pulled her daughter into her tight embrace, well as tight as her tired muscles would allow. Warm tears spilled from her eyes. "You're really here," she cried, burying her face in her daughter's soft brown hair.

Alex pulled back slightly but kept her little girl close, "I missed you so much, sweetheart." Molly quickly brushed her wrist across her eyes but Alex only smiled, "and I love you so much. I hope you know that Mols, you're the centre of my world." Molly's eyes swam with tears as she lent in to hug her Mum again, even tighter than before.

"Love you too Mum." She whispered.

After a long while the pair pulled apart and Molly sat back in the chair at her Mum's bedside, watching as Alex turned to talk to Evan.

"How long have I been here?"

"A month. We're not supposed to ask questions about what happened, and you don't need to think about it. I expect someone will want to interview you, but not until you're better, and even then don't worry if you can't remember. Just try to relax."

Alex sighed and lent back against her pillow. In truth, she _was_ struggling to remember details of what had happened but she was sure it had felt like more than a month… All that time she'd spent with Gene…

_Gene! _"Molly can you get me a pen and paper?"

"What is it Alex?"

"I need one of my files," she said firmly while quickly scribbling instructions on the paper Molly had passed her.

"No Alex. No work. You heard the doctor: you need rest."

"This can't wait."

"Don't be ridiculous, of course it can. You've only just woken up-"

Alex was about to argue back but Molly cut in first, "If Mum wants one of her files then why _can't_ she have it?" She turned away from Evan and looked back at her Mum, "Will it help you get better?"

"Yes." Alex answered simply.

Molly nodded and, as though that was all the convincing anyone could possibly need, ripped out the page from the notebook that her Mum had written in, "Right then. I'll get someone from the station to bring it in." She gave Evan a look that dared him to contradict her and she marched from the room.

Alex watched with an amused, but also slightly sad, smile. _Who was this assertive young lady? S_he remembered how much stronger she had become very shortly after her parents deaths and understood the changes she now saw in Molly, but that insight didn't make the obvious suffering any easier to forget.

Alex met Evan's eyes – the last month had taken its toll on both of them. He was not the young man he once was. The disapproving look he was now directing at her may not have changed but he was no longer the man she had known in 1981. The man whose affair had had such devastating consequences…

"Look, Evan…" she was hesitant for a moment, but inwardly knew she needed to have this conversation, however difficult it may be.

Evan frowned slightly, "What is it Alex?"

"I know about you and Caroline, I mean, my Mum." She paused, feeling suddenly a lot more uncomfortable, "I know about the video, I know…" she sighed, "I know everything."

"What exactly do you think you know?" Evan asked cautiously.

"I know that Tim," she paused and corrected herself, "my Dad, was responsible for the bomb in your car. He killed himself and Caroline, and tried to kill me too… because of your affair with my Mum."

Evan's gaze had dropped to the ground, "Layton told you this?"

"No. I can't explain, but-" She gave a slightly hysterical laugh, "I was there when the tape was destroyed."

"Of course you were Alex. But you were eight and in the other room."

"No. I was there in the room with you, and I watched the tape with you."

Evan's confusion deepened and he looked up at Alex in concern, "Your confused Alex. You've just woken from a severe coma – yesterday you were only scoring 6 on the GCS! You need rest."

"No Evan I need you to do something for me. You can remember that day? The day my parents died?"

"How could I forget! But Alex-"

"Evan! Listen – do you remember the man who took my hand and carried me away?" he frowned harder. "Think Evan. The police officer: Gene Hunt." Upon hearing the name Evan gave a startled look.

"H-How could you possibly know about him?" he stuttered.

"I was there."

"I know! You keep saying that Alex but you were just a child."

"No! There were two officers that day, think Evan! DCI Gene Hunt… and DI Alex Drake."

Evan got up so fast the chair fell backwards, "You're not well, I'm getting the doctor."

"I'm fine Evan."

"But _you're_ Alex Drake!"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you!"

He shook his head, "You're not making any sense. You need to sleep, everything will be clearer when you've rested. I'm taking Molly home; we'll come back tomorrow, you'll be feeling better then." He turned to leave.

"Evan, wait. I was there that day, in more ways than one. I know things I shouldn't know - things I couldn't possibly know otherwise." Evan was shaking his head, but Alex continued, "Listen Evan, _please_. Regardless of whether you believe me or not; I need you to do something for me. Promise me Evan that you will do this one thing."

He hesitated, "What do you want me to do?"

"The man who took my hand that day: Gene Hunt. I want you to find out –" her voice quivered and she stopped to take a deep shaky breath, "I _need_ to know what happened to him."


	5. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Five - Somewhere Over The Rainbow_

_He was numb, yet completely relaxed. _

_He allowed his mind to float in that region just short of consciousness. Blissfully unaware of his surroundings - if there were any. Peaceful, yet troubled by a persistent nagging: __**Is there somewhere I should be? Something I should be doing?**_

_But he brushed his worries aside. Here and now was all that mattered and at that moment he was strangely content just to drift undisturbed. He felt oddly calm. As though this silent paradise was where he had always intended to be. He was the solitary presence in an empty abyss._

_But he was not alone._

_A familiar, yet nameless, face floated across his thoughts - and such a strong response he felt to those features! The first real feeling he had experienced in this timeless location._

_Any emotion here, in this placid existence, felt out of place, but this feeling, although so passionate it was almost painful, did not feel wrong. And the clearer the image became the stronger he felt it, rhythmically pulsing through him._

_Then suddenly he didn't want to drift anymore, and the answer to all the questions was clear__**. I should be wherever she is. That's where I'm needed…**_

* * *

The sound of water lapping at the bank seemed distant and dreamlike in its quality, but the cold wetness gently kissing his cheek told him otherwise. But Gene didn't want to wake, not yet. His dream – if that was even what it was - had felt so real, so peaceful, but even as he tried to pin down that feeling it slipped away, like water between his fingers…

Then everything that had happened before came flooding back, the rush of memories making him sit up so fast his head swam.

_Alex!_

Sunlight blinded him and he threw up a hand to block out the glare. Once his eyes had adjusted he looked around: he was lying by the side of the Thames beside a bridge that he didn't recognise.

Gene got unsteadily to his feet and brushed the dirt from his suit - except it wasn't _his_ suit, at least not one he recognised.

The bitterly cold wind rippled through his hair and bit hard into his bare fingers. "Where the bloody 'ell are my gloves?" Gene shoved his hands into his pockets and was surprised to find one of them already occupied. He pulled out an unfamiliar-looking warrant card and flipped it open: DCI Gene Hunt. _Well that's a start._

Gene turned and attempted to find his bearings. This was certainly London so the station must be that way – or at least he hoped it was.

A short walk later, Gene stopped and looked up at the building before him. Underneath the fancy paintwork this was most definitely his nick. But still he paused, something wasn't right; he felt like a fish out of water – he didn't belong…

But he was Gene Hunt! The Manc Lion! He was not afraid and he would not be intimidated. He would march straight into that building and demand to be told just what the bloody hell was going on! So he strode confidently forwards, taking the steps almost at a run.

Once inside, however, Gene felt his courage start to ebb away again. As he made his way through the maze of corridors, he began to worry: what would he find just around this last corner? What if his office wasn't there? He quickened his pace and pushed his way through the final set of doors.

The layout of the room had changed, the walls where freshly painted and the desks were different too - on each stood a computer like none he had ever seen before. But just ahead of him stood a familiar door, leading to a familiar office: his office. Gene began to walk towards it and had covered half the distance before a voice interrupted him.

"Can I help you?"

Gene turned and looked the stranger up and down. He was of average build and was wearing a suit that put Gene's whole wardrobe to shame, he was cleanly shaven and his neatly-cut, dark brown hair was combed over to one side. Gene drew himself up to his full height before remembering that it was him, and not this smartly dressed man before him, who was the visitor here. He fumbled in his jacket and pulled out the warrant card.

"Oh, DCI Hunt, we've been expecting you."

"You 'ave?"

"Of course," the man gave him an odd look and continued, "I'm Acting DI Ashby, by the way, I'm sorry the others aren't here to meet you, I gave them the afternoon off," the younger man held out his hand to Gene and grinned. "Not your average day here I'm afraid. One of our colleagues came out of a coma this morning, you see." Gene felt his concentration wavering as the younger man continued to babble on, "She was shot, you probably heard about it at the time – anyway, at about half past ten this morning we got a call saying she's woken up and she wants someone to bring her one of the files from her office immediately!" he laughed, "well that's typical of DI Drake if you ask -"

"Alex?" Gene's head snapped back to DI Ashby, "_Alex_ Drake?" _My Alex?_ He added silently.

"You know her?"

Gene muttered something incomprehensible as his mind struggled to digest this new information: Alex was here too?

"Well then," DI Ashby said slightly awkwardly, "I'm supposed to be going over to the hospital now, but if you and DI Drake know each other…" he smiled hopefully at Gene, "hospitals aren't really my thing, if you know what I mean, so, if you wanted: you could go in my place?"

Gene looked up at the officer, who shrank away under the full force of his glare. Finally he nodded and turned to leave.

"DCI Hunt. You'd better take the file she asked for." Gene reached back and took the document. Staring down at it he felt his heart stop momentarily. This was too much even for the Gene Genie.

Across the top of the file, in what was unmistakably Alex's handwriting, was the name Sam Tyler.

* * *

A quarter of an hour later Gene was sitting comfortably in the red leather front seat of a black Hyundai Coupe, and his mood was improving considerably. According to the nice young lady on the front desk this was his car!

He had also acquired a newspaper, which, if he was reading it right, told him it was 2008! But his plan was to not worry too much about that right now, he would talk to Bolly and she would explain everything.

On his lap was Sam Tyler's file, he had not opened it. Gene stared down at it hard, before moving the folder onto the passenger seat and putting the car into gear.

The drive to the hospital was painfully slow, the traffic was awful and the waiting was killing Gene, who had never been a particularly patient man. He parked up in the hospital car park and looked across at the file yet again. He sighed and flipped it open.

The first thing he realised was that this Sam Tyler at the very least resembled the Tyler he had known; the photo made that clear. The second thing he saw was the word suicide stamped across that same photo.

Gene felt winded. He flipped the file closed once more and sat back. The Sam he had known had not committed suicide – what did that mean? What if they weren't the same person? What if the Alex he was about to meet was not his Alex?

Gene shook his head and scowled at his reflection in the rear-view mirror, "Only one way to find out." And with that he got out of the car and headed inside.

* * *

Gene had shown his warrant card to the girl on the front desk, asked where he would find DI Drake and listened carefully to the directions. Now, as he walked along the corridor, Gene counted off the rooms ahead of him, identifying the door he wanted from the far end of the corridor. Just as he reached the door, it was opened from the inside and out came a doctor. He stood in the doorway, holding his clipboard and spoke, "You're very lucky Alex."

"I know." An all too familiar voice replied, "So why don't I feel happy?"

The doctor smiled and said gently, "Sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up." He nodded goodbye to the occupant of the room and walked off, without some much as a look in Gene's direction.

Gene saw his chance and stepped through the closing gap and Alex's door swung slowly shut.

She didn't see him. She didn't hear him. Gene stood undetected and watched her – his Alex and yet not his Alex. Her hair was different, straight, and she was thinner, but then, Gene reminded himself, this Alex had been in a coma for the last month. She was pale too. So many differences. But from outside she had sounded the same, and her face was so familiar…

He couldn't just stand here all day. Surely the hammering of his heart against his ribs would give him away any second. Gene took one step towards the bed and that was all it took. Alex's eyes snapped open and immediately widened in fear.

"No! But… no, you're not real." She struggled to pull herself into a sitting position and backed her body right up against the head of the bed, as far from him as she could get, but never once taking her eyes of his face.

Gene just stood silently, watching Alex shaking her head and muttering the same phrase 'you're not real' over and over as her breathing began to return to normal.

A silence fell. He wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. This was not quite the reaction he had hoped for.

"Gene?"

Gene felt his heart leap – she knew him! But before he could say even one word a nurse came bustling in through the door behind him, she took one look at the petrified expression on Alex's face and hurried Gene out of the room.

"I'm sorry sir, she needs rest, come back tomorrow," she said firmly.

"I need to talk to her, luv."

"Not today. Are you a friend?"

Gene was a little taken aback by the question, "I- Yes."

"Well then, I hope you'll appreciate how delicate she's feeling at this point in time and how important it is that she is allowed the chance to recover fully."

Gene was speechless; he gaped at the nurse and even found himself feeling almost guilty. "I brought her this," he said lamely, holding out Sam Tyler's file.

"I'll make sure she gets it." The nurse continued to stare meaningfully at him. The confused Gene was a little slow on the uptake but eventually realised what she wanted, "I'm goin'" he grumbled and began his slow departure from the hospital.

The nurse watched Gene out of sight before re-entering Alex's room. "The gentleman brought this in for you," she said putting the file on Alex's bedside table.

"He- He was really here?"

"Yes dear," she said kindly, "try to get some sleep." Alex nodded without really listening to what she was being told; her eyes were fixed on Sam Tyler's file.

* * *

**I would really appreciate your views on this chapter – especially the first few paragraphs. I've been sitting on it for a while because it is a bit different to how I usually write and I wasn't sure what other people would think… Does it work or is it just weird? Thanks.**

**Emma**


	6. Out Of His Depth

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Six - Out Of His Depth_

The night following Gene's visit was a restless one for both Alex and Gene.

After Alex's initial panic had subsided she had climbed awkwardly from the bed and hobbled on weak legs out into the corridor, in search of her visitor. Alex had not got far, however, before a nurse had spotted her and immediately taken the wandering patient back to bed, insisting that she stay there.

The short walk had stolen the last of Alex's energy and she soon drifted into a light sleep haunted by half-forgotten memories of a past life: a red balloon, a car, a long-haired stranger, and an explosion – forever burnt into her mind. Only this time she could not tear her eyes away from the burning wreck. And no one came to take her hand…

By morning Alex was beginning to doubt her own senses. Yes: she had had a visitor the previous evening - that much was fact having been confirmed several times by her nurse. But it _can't_ have been Gene.

A blend of drugs, exhaustion and depression had shown her what she desperately wished to see. That was all.

Alex let her eyes close, allowing the emptiness she felt to consume her. She didn't hear the nurse come in, "You have a visitor Alex, shall I show him in?"

_Him._

Alex's eyes snapped open once more and she nodded enthusiastically, instantly forgetting her dream and all other negative thoughts. She sat up straighter and gazed expectantly at the doorway.

Any moment now _He_ will come through that door…

But she received only bitter disappointment when it was Evan, and not Gene, who entered the room. It must have shown on her face.

"You were expecting someone else?"

"No." She admitted sadly, "It's just… oh, it really doesn't matter. Where's Molly?"

"I've just dropped her off at school. I'm sorry Alex, but I can't stay long, I'm needed at work - I just wanted to let you know that I looked up the records from 1981, as you asked."

"Yes?"

Evan shook his head, "It's the strangest thing."

"What Evan!"

"There really was a DI Alex Drake in 1981."

Alex felt her breath catch at the back of her throat, "what happened to her?" she whispered hoarsely.

"She died in the line of duty in January 1982, alone side her DCI – the infamous Gene Hunt."

* * *

The same Gene Hunt woke that morning stiff necked and bad tempered. _Today, _he promised himself,_ I will find somewhere to stay – I will not be spending another night sleeping in this damn car!_

Some things in _this London_ were familiar, but others were far from it. Unfortunately, the road where he had lived in the 1980's fell into the second category. Where his house had once stood there was now a tall block of offices. He vaguely remembered Alex saying something about how '_glass and steel will tower above us_' but quickly put thoughts of his DI from his mind. Her reaction the night before had been far from what he had hoped for.

He rubbed his eyes and looked down at his crumpled shirt, and was suddenly thankful that he had thought to pick up more clothes the night before. Putting the car in gear, Gene headed back towards the station: he'd feel better after a shower.

* * *

An hour later, Gene stood, recently washed and clean-shaven, cigarette held loosely between his lips, leaning over the newspaper spread out across the bonnet of his car.

His eyes scanned the articles half-heartedly as he turned the pages of the paper. Even some of the problems in _this London_ seemed alien to him, although he had to admit: scum was still scum, even here.

Another drag on his cigarette.

If he had felt out of his depth after the move from Manchester, it was nothing to how he felt now...

The wind picked up momentarily, catching several pages of the newspaper as it passed. When Gene had got the large printed sheets under control once more he was faced with the all too familiar features of Alex Drake.

His eyes skimmed down the article and, after picking out more than a few names that he recognised, he pulled the paper closer to him and began to read:

_Detective Inspector Drake woke up yesterday after four weeks in a coma. Arthur Layton, who has not been seen since the day of the shooting, shot DI Drake on one of his boats._

_Unconfirmed reports suggest that Layton asked for DI Drake by name before taking her daughter, Molly Drake, hostage and finally abducting and shooting the police psychologist._

_DI Drake has been with the London Metropolitan police for several years working as a psychological profiler. She has proved herself to be an invaluable asset to the police, using her experience gained during her secondment to the CIA to aid in investigations._

_Alex Drake, the daughter of well-respected solicitors Tim and Caroline Price, was brought up in London by her Godfather, solicitor Evan White, who spoke to us yesterday on behalf of Alex's friends and family saying "We are all greatly relieved that Alex has woken up. This has been a hard time for all of us."_

_The hunt for Arthur Layton continues and Police are asking for anyone with any information to come forward._

Gene turned his back on the newspaper and lent back heavily on the side of his car. Tim and Caroline Price? He had known a Tim and Caroline Price, and now he thought about it, hadn't they had a daughter called Alexandra…?

Surely not.

Gene exhaled loudly. He could hear the blood pounding in his ears as he struggled to connect all the information he had just read to what he already knew – or, at least, _thought_ he knew.

_Time to go back to the hospital and talk to Bolly, I think. But first: a slight detour…_


	7. Blame

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Seven - Blame_

It was just a door. But its darkly smooth finish and engraved nameplate were imposing all the same. The sort of people who had doors like this one, were the same sort that Gene tried hard to avoid.

He'd had to bypass two secretaries and a security guard just to get to this door. But now he was here, facing the threatening wood panelling, Gene hesitated; this was likely to be a very difficult conversation. He felt something in his gut twist unpleasantly, and hated himself for it - since when did the Gene Genie get nervous?

_Since he arrived here_, he thought bitterly.

He raised his hand and knocked, "Come in" came the swift reply, and Gene complied.

Evan White had stood up to greet his guest but as Gene entered he involuntarily sat back down. His face visibly paled, "Gene Hunt."

"Good morning Mr White, I think you and I need to have a little chat."

* * *

Alex had been restless all morning, still trapped in the limbo between waking up and going home. She was feeling much better today but the doctor had insisted on keeping her under observation a little while longer, much to Alex's irritation. So when Evan pushed her door open just after midday she was more than pleased to be distracted from her boredom.

"Evan. I wasn't expecting you back till- Evan? What's wrong?"

His face was a confusion of worry and alarm, "I don't think you've told me everything, have you Alex?" he said as he stepped to one side.

And in his place a second figure now filled the doorway: Gene.

Alex felt her mouth go dry. She swung her legs out of bed and began to shuffle slowly across the room, her eyes never straying from Gene's.

She stared, unblinking, taking in every detail. His all-too-familiar furrowed brow and pout. The strong build of a man who would do all he could to protect those in his care. Steel blue eyes – guarded windows to the damaged soul hidden deep within.

Alex raised one hand and slipped it inside his jacket, gently resting her palm over his heart. She felt the soft, regular thump against her skin and pulled her hand back quickly, as though burnt.

Tears stung her eyes as she stepped back away from the man whose presence both greatly comforted and frightened her. Alex shook her head, biting down hard on her bottom lip. She drew a shallow shaky breath. Dizziness set in and her vision faded away.

Gene caught Alex in his arms before she hit the ground.

* * *

Gene watched her eyes closely, seeing the flickering signs of life behind the closed lids. _She would wake soon_, he thought. And he was proved correct only minutes later,

"Gene." She croaked.

"That's me, Bolly."

"But… How?"

"Don't ask me, one moment I'm 'aving a very pleasant dream and the next I'm wakin' up beside the Thames. And to top it all: London's not quite as I remember it."

"Oh Gene, it's really you. Here. Now." Evan quietly left the room, leaving them alone.

Alex continued to stare at him in disbelief for several minutes, before feeling that she really ought to say something. Anything.

"So… Where are you staying?"

"Livin' out of my car at the minute."

"You have a _car_ but you don't have a place to live?" she asked incredulously.

"Damn right Bolly, wouldn't 'ave it any other way."

She shook her head sadly, smiling up at him. "You've spoken to Evan?" Alex asked, glancing quickly at the closed door. He nodded. "What did you talk about?"

Gene levelled his gaze at Alex, but said nothing for some time, "I jus' had a few questions for him." He didn't on the issue any further despite the looks he received from Alex.

For a short while the pair sat quietly together, it was back to how it should be, back to their constant good-natured bickering. Alex and Gene allowed themselves to simply enjoy being in each other's company for a moment, without the need of words. It was Gene who finally spoke again first, "Alex," he said carefully, "your parents?" Alex's smile faltered slightly, but deep down she had known this conversation had to come. She knotted her fingers together in her lap, took a deep breath and began, as all long and complicated stories should, at the beginning.

Gene was a good listener, he sat patiently until Alex had finished and kept his questions till the end. In particular: one burning question, to which he desperately needed an answer. "And Sam?"

"Similar story. Sam was hit by a car in 2006, went into a coma and woke up in 1973."

"But the file," Gene gestured to the cream folder beside Alex's bed, "it says he killed himself…?"

Alex wetted her lips, choosing her words carefully; "Sam woke up, back here in the twenty first century, the day he left you in that tunnel. He made a choice in 1973 and came out of the coma. But the memory of that choice haunted him. I never met Sam in person, but we spoke over the phone several times, and he made me tapes – telling me about his life in 1973." Alex paused and sighed, "Sam couldn't live with himself. He didn't feel alive after he left you. I believe he gave up his life in 2006 to go back to 1973."

Gene was nodding. "He came back," he said, and stood up abruptly, "well, if Sam can go back, then-"

"No Gene, I don't think you can," she interrupted gently.

"What?"

"I think you should sit back down." Gene did as she suggested, but he sat stiffly in his chair and fixed Alex with a hard stare. "Gene, we both died that evening in 1982, when the bomb went off on that boat." She waited a moment for her words to sink in, "I'm so sorry Gene, but I don't think there is anywhere for you to go back to. It wasn't like this for Sam, he hadn't died in '73, he just disappeared for a moment."

Alex watched Gene's expression anxiously. A shadow had darkened his features. After barely a minute of silence he got up and he crossed the room to the door.

"Gene?" He looked back at her blankly. "I'm _so_ sorry. I really am." His eyes dropped to the floor. He couldn't speak – what was she expecting him to say?

So he left, leaving Alex to the hush of her hospital room.

* * *

Gene walked quickly along the grassy slope. He concentrated on keeping his footing and forced himself not to look up until he had reached the exact spot he was heading for.

Outwardly there didn't appear to be anything particularly special about this little hill, barely more than a simple grassy slope. But this was a significant place for Alex, and, he realised now, for him too. His life and hers seemed inexplicably linked. And this was where they had first met – although he had known her then for several months…

All this thinking was making his head hurt.

_So little Alexandra Price was a younger Alex Drake? _In a strange way it did seem to make sense. When he thought about the days running up to the Price's deaths: Alex _had_ seemed to have an uncanny knack for knowing exactly what was going to happen.

Gene looked across at the deserted road a little way down the hill. That was where the car had stopped. Where Tim and Caroline Price had died.

And this is where he had stood. With Alex.

But if Alex was so important, if his fate was, as it seemed, connected with hers then why wasn't he with her now? He should be back at the hospital with her; she had to be the key to him getting home, didn't she?

* * *

Alex gave herself the once over in the mirror. _I'll do, _she thought.

Molly sat on the freshly made bed behind her, beaming and bouncing slightly on the stiff mattress. Seeing Molly as a reflection in the mirror caused a painful twinge in her heart, and Alex held her breath in apprehension as she turned back around to face her daughter.

Molly didn't disappear and Alex heaved a great sigh of relief, which earned her a funny look from the teenaged girl impatiently waiting to take her mother home.

"Time to go," Alex said and smiled warmly. _Home, at last._

Molly wrapped her arm around her mum's waist as the pair of them stumbled out of the hospital. They both laughed heartily at their slow progress. Molly grinned up at her mum, "I'm so glad you woke up," she said and immediately felt silly; blushing, she looked away.

But Alex's smile only widened as she pulled Molly into her for a hug, pressing a kiss to the little girl's head, "Me too, Mols."

As Alex straightened up once more she noticed Gene, who was standing a little way off, keeping his distance. Their eyes met and he approached them slowly. Alex smiled, "You came back," she said finding it difficult to keep the relief from her voice.

"I 'ave nowhere else to go."

"You can come back with us tonight?"

He nodded gratefully, "I can drive us," he muttered, pointing out his car, grateful that he could be of _some_ use.

"This is my daughter: Molly, by the way."

Gene expression softened, he took the girl's hand in his own gently and shook it, "nice t' finally meet yer Molly."

* * *

After half an hour sitting in Alex's living room Gene was feeling no more relaxed than when he had first arrived.

He wasn't sure exactly what he had been expecting as he had followed Alex up the stairs to the home she shared with Molly, but one thing was now clear: this was not the flat above Luigi's.

Alex's flat was empty, lifeless – 'minimalist' she would have called it. It felt more like an expensive hotel than a home. The truth was that Alex had never been one to hoard things away. After a childhood she wished to forget and memories of a marriage better blotted out, she had only what the daily grind of life required.

He was beginning to see that this modern Alex was different. It was only subtle differences but they were enough to set him on edge. _Was nothing the same here?_

Gene couldn't settle, he moved from seat to seat, fidgeting constantly; until Alex tried to lighten the mood with a comment about 'Musical Chairs', after which Gene forced himself to stay in one place.

Alex made tea for them both, which they drank in silence, as Molly tactfully retreated to her room.

Eventually Gene could take the unspoken tension no longer, he exploded out of his chair and crossed to the window, leaning heavily on the sill, "Why Alex? Why am I 'ere? Why did both you and Sam end up with me? Why _me_?"

"I don't know Gene, but I _promise _you I will do everything I can to help you through this."

Gene spun back round, "What can you do Alex? How can you help?" his voice raised a fraction with every word, he shook his head, "I 'ave nothing. I woke up 'ere with nothing!"

"I know Gene, and I'm trying to make this easier for you!" They were both yelling now. "Me and Sam went through exactly the same-"

"No yer didn't!" Gene interupted, "Both you and Sam had some link with the real you – here in two-thousand-and-whatever. I 'ave nothing. I'm dead."

"But… but wouldn't you rather be here and _alive,_ than back in 1982 and dead?"

Gene turned away from her, running a hand down his face, closing his tired eyes with a sigh. "I can't stay 'ere Alex. I can't even look at you." He took several steps towards his coat and the door, but then paused.

"Gene-"

"I hate it here Alex… And I'm here 'cause of _you_." He wasn't shouting anymore, his voice was soft – the voice of a broken man. He waited a moment, staring blankly at the wall, with his back to Alex. What he was saying was unfair, and he knew it, but he wasn't able to put into words how helpless and lost he really felt. Instead he could express only bitterness and anger.

Silence filled the room. Gene nodded to himself - Alex Drake didn't have the answers this time. The Gene Genie would have to sort this mess out on his own.

He didn't look back as he left. If only he had, for then he would have seen Alex's devastated expression, the tears streaming down her pale cheeks, her hand clamped tightly across her mouth stifling her sobs.

_He's right,_ she thought_, this is all my fault._


	8. No Food

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Eight – No Food_

As the front door closed, Molly's door slid open once more. She crept barefoot out into the corridor and back towards the living room. Standing quietly in the doorway for a moment, Molly watched her Mum's body shaking with the force of her tears, and felt a familiar cold sensation spreading through her: fear. _She will be ok, won't she?_

"Mum?"

Alex jumped. She twisted around and, seeing Molly's anxious face, pulled herself to her feet and called her daughter to her. They hugged tightly and gradually Alex felt her breathing evening out.

"Are you ok?" Molly's voice was quieter than usual.

Alex nodded and sniffed, "I'm ok. Don't worry about me Mols."

"Is Gene coming back?"

"I don't know," Alex replied, "probably not," she added in a whisper.

They pulled apart. "I liked him Mum," Molly said after a moment, "he seemed ok."

"You only met him an hour ago, and for the last ten minutes we've been yelling at each other!" She said in a hysterical whisper.

"Yeah, but he wasn't angry. When Dad shouts you can tell he's cross but with Gene… I dunno how to explain it but he wasn't angry, he was… confused. But hey, you know him better than I do – I'm probably completely wrong."

Alex sat down heavily on the sofa. Had she completely misunderstood? Mentally she replayed their most recent argument and hung her head with shame. She, with her degree in psychology, had failed to see what her 12-year-old daughter had realised instantly. She'd been too close to the situation, and had seen only Gene directing his anger at her, she had missed the hurt and frustration that he must be feeling.

And shouting had made everything worse.

Molly sat lightly on the arm of the sofa - watching, waiting.

Alex angrily brushed the last remaining tears from her eyes and forced a smile onto her face. Gene was an adult after all, he could look after himself – right now Molly needed her Mum. "Right, enough of all this. Time we ate something. What do you feel like? Pasta? I could do macaroni cheese?"

Molly stared blankly back, seeing straight through her mother's clumsy attempts to change the subject, "there's no food in the house."

"What? No food? What've you been eating while I've been in hospital? Where have you been staying?"

"At Evan's, mostly."

"Mostly?"

The colour rose slightly in Molly's cheeks and she fixed her gaze on the fascinating buttons of her jacket. "So what _are_ we going to eat Mum? I'm starving," she asked without looking up. Alex frowned and narrowed her eyes slightly but, after fighting back her curiosity, she let it go - now was not the right time for another row. Besides, she could ask Evan tomorrow.

After a brief debate the pair agreed that the shopping could wait and that a take-away was the way to go. She allowed Molly to choose, and after a further half hour the floor was littered with pizza boxes.

* * *

The light from the rising sun streamed through the window, the curtains having been forgotten the night before. Alex woke up stiff, from sleeping on the sofa, but refreshed. Molly had disappeared back into her room late the night before but Alex had stayed in front of the TV. 2008 had more to offer in the way of late night TV and when Alex had seen that "They Died With Their Boots On" was showing she hadn't been able to hold back a smile and had felt compelled to watch it. Gradually her thoughts had slipped back onto Gene; _tomorrow_, she thought, _I'll make things right between us. Whether or not he wants to admit it, he could use my help right now. If I can find him that is..._

Alex stretched out lazily and got up from the sofa, but as she crossed the room a sharp pain exploded inside her head and Alex's eyes snapped shut with the force of it. She felt weak and her head felt heavy – too heavy, Alex raised both hands to support her skull. She felt her legs beginning to tremble.

Then, as quickly as the pain had started, it faded away, leaving Alex breathless but otherwise ok.

* * *

Alex and Molly made their way slowly up and down the aisles in Tesco later that morning, having established that there really was no food and agreeing that they couldn't afford to live off take-away meals. Shopping had never been one of Alex's favourite activities but doing something so domestic with her daughter was oddly relaxing.

The pair laughed together as they picked out a mixture of junk food and what Alex called "real food", Molly pushed the trolley and Alex got overly excited at the sight of various products which had been lacking in the 1980's.

As they stood in the queue Molly's face turned serious, "Mols? Something wrong?"

"No. It's just… What was it like? You know, being in a coma."

Alex hesitated, "Well, it was sort of like being asleep, I had a dream – a very long, and often very complicated, dream that seemed very real at times."

"What did you dream about?"

"I was… well I was here, in London, but everything was different, and I was trying to find you. Sometimes you felt very nearby and other times you felt such a long way away but I never stopped trying to find my way back to you. I would never leave you Molly; you know that, don't you? I love you more than anything or anyone else."

Molly smiled, "I know," she said and slipped her hand into her Mum's. "There was something else I was wondering."

"Yeah?"

"Gene. Who is he?"

"He's…" Alex laughed as she struggled to explain. "He's someone I used to work with."

"So he's a policeman?"

"Yes, he's a DCI. He was my boss – 'The Guv'"

"Oh. And he knew the man you were writing about, the one in your book: Sam Tyler?"

Alex looked down at Molly quickly, "Why do you say that?"

"I heard him mention someone called Sam last night, and I remembered you wanting to see Sam Tyler's file when you woke up. I thought maybe that's why Gene came to the hospital."

Inwardly, Alex sighed. She wasn't sure she was ready, or even able, to explain exactly where she and Sam had met Gene, but she could gloss over that detail for now. "Sam worked with Gene too, and yes – that _is_ why Gene came to see me."

"Do you like him?"

"Who?" Alex said, trying to act casual.

"Gene, durr." Molly giggled.

"At first I didn't like working with him, but over time I guess I grew to like him."

"But do you _like_ like him?"

"Molly!" Alex warned in her most serious voice, but she failed to hold back a grin and Molly laughed. "Gene and I are… _were_ good friends, but things are different now."

"Why?"

"Have I ever told you that you ask far too many questions?"

"Mum! Why aren't you friends anymore?"

By now they had reached to car with the shopping and Alex was thankful of a moment to think while they moved the shopping into the boot.

"People make choices Molly, and every choice has consequences. I made a choice and I hurt Gene, I didn't mean too but I did. He has every right to hate me, Molly, but I still care about him. He was in my dream too, he helped me get back to you."

* * *

Alex felt a sudden sadness sweep through her as she unpacked the shopping. She felt out of place in her own kitchen, forgetting which cupboard held what – she was lost, disorientated. Had she felt like this in 1981 when she had first arrived? Alex tried to remember but couldn't, everyday her time there seemed further and further away, with more memories slipping from her every minute.

That was the moment when the pain returned.

Alex staggered against the kitchen table, her vision blurred as the pain in her head intensified. Her head felt as though it was being squeezed from all sides and Alex lowered her self slowly to the floor. She bit her lip hard, hard enough to draw blood, in an attempt to stop herself from crying out. Alex clenched her fists, her knuckles white with the effort. She forced herself to take deep regular breaths.

But this time the pain didn't ease.

"Molly!" she gasped, but her voice was barely louder than a whisper. Alex frantically looked about the kitchen, but as she moved her head the room spun before her eyes. Blindly she reached up and felt for the table cloth, curling the fabric between her fingers Alex used the last of her strength to pull.

A vase and two dinner plates smashed on the tiled floor beside Alex and the crash echoed around the room. Moments later Molly ran through the doorway.

"Mols. Get… help." Alex wheezed, as the world drifted away from her.

* * *

**I'm really sorry everyone: I'm not very well at the moment, so although I now have a great deal more time on my hands I often don't feel up to doing anything, and my writing has suffered. I apologise for the delay between this and the last chapter and assure anyone who is still reading that I haven't forgotten about you. I will try hard to keep the story going but I cannot promise a fast update. I'm sorry - Emma**


	9. The Poem

**To everyone who reviewed the last chapter: Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words, they were much appreciated.**

* * *

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Nine – The Poem_

Gene knocked for the second time on Alex's front door, a little louder and more insistent than before. "Police!" he yelled, "Drake!"

He sighed, pausing to rest against the doorframe and check his watch: 6pm. "C'mon Alex. Molly? Let me in."

"They're not there." Gene turned to see a short, stumpy woman frowning up at him.

"How do you know they're not there?"

"I was here when the ambulance came."

"What ambulance?"

"The one that came to take her and her daughter to hospital."

"When was that?"

"Oh, a good four/five hours ago now, I'd say." Gene turned without another word and headed back down the hallway, his coat flapping out behind him, leaving Alex's neighbour only to scowl at his disappearing back, "and goodbye to you too," she muttered.

* * *

"Molly? You awake?"

She woke with a start, grabbing the hand on her shoulder fiercely. "Gene!" she relaxed her grip on his hand but continued to stare at him, a small frown creasing her pale forehead.

"What happened Molly? Why is she back 'ere again?"

Molly glanced across at her Mum, "She collapsed. We'd just got back from doing the shopping, I-" she bit down hard on her lip and shook her head. "The doctors don't know what's wrong yet, 'cause it's a head injury…" Molly blinked back her tears.

Gene sat down next to her. "Hey little lady, come 'ere." She leaned into him and Gene instinctively pulled her tightly into him for a hug until she was curled up securely against his chest.

"Mum said you weren't coming back," she sniffed.

"Well I'm 'ere now, aren't I?" Molly nodded as Gene steered her back into the chair beside Alex's hospital bed and crouched down beside her, his back to Alex. The sight of her lying there, pale as death, made him feel sick.

"Dunno if I should tell you this… but I know my Mum won't, so…" Molly twisted her fingers nervously in her lap. "I'll be honest with you if you promise to be honest with me."

Gene hesitated, unsure what she would ask and if he would be able to answer. "Ok Molly, I'll try."

"Mum was really upset after you left. I've never seen her like that before. What happened?"

Gene didn't know what to say, "What has yer Mum told you?"

"That she'd hurt you, that something bad had happened to you and it was her fault. And that you would never forgive her for it."

Gene sighed, "It's never that simple. And it wasn't her fault, not really." They sat quietly for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. "Where's Evan, Mols?"

"He had to go back to work."

"He left you 'ere alone?"

Molly looked guiltily down at her shoes, "not exactly."

"Meanin'?"

"He dropped me off this afternoon with the old couple who live next door to him, I was supposed to stay there this evening till he could pick me up, but I came back here."

Gene shook his head, unable to hold back a smile, "Yer jus' like yer mother, she never bloody well does what she's told either." Molly smiled too, only a small smile but a smile all the same. Gene patted her knee awkwardly, "I'm urr... goin' to talk to the doctor, I'll be back in a minute."

Outside Gene approached Dr Stuart Hess, "Are you the doctor for Alex Drake?" The man nodded, "How is she?"

"I can't discuss a patient's condition with anyone other than family, I'm sorry."

Gene rose up to his full height, "I'm a police officer and I'm lookin' after Alex's little girl."

The doctor sighed, "I've given her something for the pain, and she was quite upset when she arrived this afternoon so she was given something else to calm her down. We'll have a better idea how she is in the morning. I expect her to sleep until then. I'd advice that you and Miss Drake go home and get some rest too."

Gene hesitated, "I don't want 'er to wake up on 'er own."

"I seriously doubt that Alex will wake before morning."

Gene nodded. "Right. Is there a phone I can use?"

Dr Hess indicated a phone behind the desk and left Gene to make his call.

The phone rang only once before being picked up, "Hello?"

"Evan? It's Gene. I'm at the hospital with Molly. I'll take her home tonight, give you a break."

There was a pause from the other end of the line, "So you're back are you?"

"Is that a problem?"

"Not if you're planning to stay this time. Molly needs stability right now, not you and Alex falling out every five minutes."

"I know that Evan," Gene paused to get his temper under control, "Look, I've got to go. See you tomorrow." He hung up. Finally: someone who was as much of a pain in the arse as he remembered them being - at least some things never changed.

Gene stopped in the doorway to Alex's room and watched Molly, her eyes were closed and her face was clear of all the anxiety and fear that had clouded her otherwise calm features. She was exhausted Gene realised, physically and mentally overwhelmed by the day's events. "Right, young lady, time to get you home."

Her eyes fluttered open, "I'm not tired, it's still early. We don't have to go yet, do we?"

"I know, but it's not been an easy day for yer."

"What about Mum?"

"She's goin' t'be OK, she jus' needs to sleep. Yer Mum wouldn't want you to sit 'ere all night, would she?" Molly shook her head, "C'mon I'm takin' you home." Gene put an arm around her and Molly smiled up at him gratefully.

"OK."

Just as they reached the lift Molly cried out and, pulling her hand free from Gene's, raced back into Alex's room. She picked up a small black covered book and hurried back to Gene's side.

"What's that?"

"Mum's" she said simply and slipped the book into her bag.

* * *

Molly retrieved her key from her bag and opened the door. Gene followed her into the flat with an uneasy feeling in his gut. He had been here before of course but then it had been with Alex's permission. He had no idea how she would feel about him tomorrow.

They had picked up food on the way back from the hospital and Gene waited as Molly gathered together plates and glasses for them both. For a moment Gene considered going to help her, but knowing he would most likely only get in the way, he sat down.

"I've had take-away two nights running now." Molly commented as she eventually passed him a plate.

"Shit Molly, I didn't even think. Is this ok?"

Molly raised her eyebrows "_Gene_." She said shaking her head, "you shouldn't swear," her voice was stern but her eyes betrayed her.

Gene grinned and looked down at his food, slightly embarrassed, "sorry."

"S'ok. I won't tell Mum," Molly giggled

Gene laughed with her, and felt himself relax. _That's a first,_ he realised, _the first time I've laughed since I got here_. As they both began to eat he watched Molly, and quickly became aware of how little he knew about the girl sitting opposite him. "How old are yer, Molly?"

"Twelve."

"And you live with Alex? I mean: yer Mum?" he corrected himself.

"Yeah, sometimes I stay with Evan, when she has to work late."

"What about yer Dad?"

Molly didn't answer immediately, and when she did speak her words held an air of being carefully chosen, "Dad's work means he's away alot." Molly didn't offer any further information and Gene didn't ask, it wasn't his place, so they finished off their food in silence.

"Mum told me about her dream. The one she had when she was in the coma."

Gene froze: _Dream?_

"You were in it Gene," Molly said watching his reaction intently, "that's what Mum said. And I was in it too, but in a different way." Molly paused, "Do you think she's back there now?"

"Back? Back where, Molly?"

"Where ever it was she went before. Mum said it all felt so real… what if she's gone back there? What if she doesn't come back this time? Or doesn't _want_ to come back?"

Gene sat lost in his own thoughts: Alex back in _his _world? Was it possible? Back with Chris and Ray, and all the London scum of 1982? Without him? He looked up and realised Molly was waiting for a reply. She was still just a child though she often acted with a maturity beyond her years, and at the sight of her, sitting before him on the verge of tears, Gene felt his heart clench.

_Alex's daughter._

He remembered this feeling, it was how he had felt as he had carried the Price's little girl away from the horror of her parents deaths, how he had felt when he had knelt before her and told her she could "call on the Gene Genie".

_Alex._

Now he felt confused. Still he struggled to see Alex's past and present as one. Instead, muddled memories of Alex Price and Molly Drake blurred together, leaving his mind in a chaotic mess of thoughts. It didn't help that his feelings as far as adult Alex was concerned were buried far too deep and were far too foreign for his liking, but he put them to one side: right now Molly needed him and, though he had no right to feel it, Gene felt strangely protective of Alex's daughter.

Silently he beckoned for Molly to come and sit beside him, "Your Mum doesn't want to leave you Mols, I'm sure of that. In her… her 'dream' she was always trying to get back to you, remember that – yer the most important person to yer Mum. She loves you very much." Molly nodded, a weak smile gracing her lips, "'sides Mols: she's not in a coma this time, just sleepin' off the drugs the doctor gave her. She'll be awake again tomorrow mornin' jus' you wait an' see."

Gene saw her eyes, so much like her Mum's, light up.

"I read to her this afternoon. She told me that in her dream there were times when she could feel me nearby. I thought if I read to her she might hear."

"So that's what the book was?"

She nodded, "Poems. WH Auden. Evan gave her the book just after her Mum and Dad died," Gene cringed at the reference to Tim and Caroline Price, thankfully Molly didn't see.

"Which is her favourite?"

Molly ran and fetched the same book Gene had briefly caught a glimpse of earlier. She sat back down on the sofa next to him and opened to the book randomly, she flicked through several pages until she found the one she was looking for. "'_O Tell Me The Truth About Love'_. It used to be her favourite anyway."

"Used t'be?"

"She used to read from this book all the time and this poem more than any other, but not these last couple of years," she stopped but Gene, sensing there was more she wanted to say waited silently, "Mum changed. It happened so slowly that me and Evan didn't really notice at first. But she was different – Evan said it was her past catching up with her… but when she woke up the other day it was like all those months never happened. I know she doesn't seem happy at the moment but she's my Mum again, like she used to be… so I know she'll be OK."

Molly yawned widely but tried to hide her tiredness from Gene. His eyes softened, "Time for bed Molly," he said gently.

"No! I'm not tired!" she argued, but only half-heartedly.

"Yer Mum and Evan will tell me off if you don't go t'bed now. C'mon Mols yer'll get me into trouble." Molly sighed, but the sigh turned into another yawn, her eyelids drooped, and finally she nodded in defeat.

Gene watched Molly out of sight then sat back, his mind buzzing.


	10. Back At The Hospital

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Ten – Back At The Hospital_

"Where's Molly?" Alex croaked, squinting up at the blur, which had recently identified itself as Evan.

"At home"

Alex frowned. "Alone?"

"With Gene Hunt."

She repeated the words over in her mind. "Gene?"

Evan nodded, "but you don't have to see him if you don't want to."

Alex didn't answer immediately, "He looked after Mols?"

"Yes. He's going to bring her here later this morning. But you don't have to talk to him, Alex." He repeated.

Alex's brow furrowed, there was something odd about Evan's tone, but the headache from the day before was still lingering, making it increasingly difficult for Alex to concentrate, "You would prefer that I didn't?" she asked.

"I'm not going to pretend that I was pleased to see him the other day. How could I be? Christ! I'd just read a report explaining how he died in 1982 and then the man himself turns up in my office not looking a day older than the last time I saw him! What am I supposed to think, Alex? What's going on?"

"Honestly, Evan, I don't understand it any more than you do."

"I think you do, Alex. I think you know far more than you're telling me." He sighed, "Just be careful. I've had to tell your daughter that her Mum had been shot once already, neither of us can go through that again. Gene Hunt was bad news in the 80's and now, somehow, he's here. If I thought you'd listen to me I'd say stay away from him, but I know you won't – so I'll just ask you to be careful, for your daughters sake if not for your own.

The conversation was becoming steadily more unpleasant, Evan had a way of making her feel like the child she had once been. And just thinking about how close Molly had come to growing up without a mother, as she had done, was making her uncomfortable.

Knowing that Evan would probably be proved right didn't help either - her gut feeling was that 'this' (whatever 'this' was) wasn't over yet; Layton was still out there somewhere and then there was Gene...

But how to explain everything to Evan was beyond her, at least for now. Alex cast around for a change of subject, "So… How's work?"

"Its fine, Alex. I took some time off to look after Molly, but apart from that nothing has changed."

Alex remembered Molly's obvious attempt to avoid talking about where she had been living while Alex had been in hospital. She sat up properly in bed to face her visitor. "Did you look after Mols on your own?"

"Yes of course, who else is there?" His voice sounded convincing enough, but his eyes didn't quite meet hers and his hand had tightened momentarily around the handle of the briefcase he was holding.

"There's something you're not telling me, Evan."

"It can wait until you're feeling better."

"I'm fine now. I have a right to know who's been looking after my daughter these last few weeks."

"I don't want you to over react, Alex. I promise: this is good news. Molly agrees with me."

"What is it, Evan? Just tell me."

"Jack is back in London."

* * *

"Mum!"

"Hey, Mols. You ok?"

"Am now. What about you – will you be ok?"

"Yes Molly, I'm going to be fine."

"You scared me, Mum." Molly said quietly, looking down so her hair fell across her face, hiding her eyes.

Alex reached out, lifting her daughter's chin with one finger so that she could see Molly's face once more. Alex smiled sadly and tucked the young girl's long brown hair behind her ears. "I'm sorry, Mols." She whispered, taking both Molly's hands in her own and linking their fingers together tightly, "You were brilliant though, calling the ambulance as quickly as you did and not panicking, I'm so proud of you."

Molly smiled shyly and squeezed her Mum's hands. "Are you coming home again soon?"

"Tonight." Alex paused for a second to consider, then continued to tell Molly what the doctor had said, knowing that her daughter would worry less if she knew Alex was being completely honest, "The headaches are something I'm just going to have to put up with for a while, the doctor wants me to monitor when I have them and for how long but there is no need for me to stay here. They've given me painkillers, so what happened yesterday shouldn't happen again. But," Alex paused for dramatic effect, "I _am_ going to need you to look after me Mols - bring me breakfast in bed, massage my feet-"

Molly screwed up her face in disgust, "Oh yuk! No way Mum."

They both laughed.

"I thought Gene was with you?" Alex asked, trying to keep her voice free of the disappointment that was threatening to spill out.

"He is. He's outside, I made him come into the hospital but he said he wouldn't come in here."

"Why not?"

"He doesn't think you want to see him again, but that's not true is it?" she asked quickly, a hopeful lilt to her voice.

"No, it isn't. Can you ask him to come in for me?" Molly nodded and half-ran-half-bounced to the door and out into the corridor.

It was a few minutes before Gene finally appeared in the doorway. He hesitated at the threshold of the room, as though waiting to be told to leave, but Alex's smile encouraged him in. The room seemed suddenly smaller with him in it. And Alex felt suddenly weaker in his presence, this was not how she wanted him to see her but she knew there were things that needed to be said.

"You look awful." He said bluntly.

"Thanks." Alex replied, her eyebrows raised a fraction.

Gene looked away. W_ell done Hunt, only been in 'ere a minute an' you've already gone an' said the wrong thing. _"Sorry. Tha's'not what I meant." He muttered, shuffling his feet in embarrassment.

"It's ok Gene. I can only imagine how I must look."

"Yer don't look so bad, jus'…" he sought desperately around for the right word. "Tired."

"Hmmm." The conversation died and the room fell silent. "Thanks, Gene. For looking after Molly last night, I mean."

"No problem, she's a good kid."

"Yes, she is." Alex smiled as her eyes rested on the door – Molly was just outside, it was so good to know that her daughter was so close after so long without her. Gene followed her gaze and moved to leave.

"I'll go, Bolly. Let you be with yer daughter."

"No, don't go yet." Alex sat up properly and Gene stepped back up to the bed. "Gene, about the other night-"

"Don't, Alex. I shouldn't have said what I said, lets just forget it, yeah?"

"No, Gene. This _is _all my fault, please, let me say I'm sorry."

"No, Bols, you don't need to apologise. An' you were right. I would have just died, anything is better than that – even being here," Gene paused and then a small smile twitched at the corners of his lips.

"What?"

"This isn't how our arguments usually go. You just admitted you were wrong an', unless I'm very much mistaken, so did I." He looked up at her properly once more, one of his beautiful but rare smiles gracing his face, "Let's leave it, eh Bols? It's done now. Time to move on." Alex nodded – she would have agreed to anything, all he ever needed to do was give her _that_ look.

"One last question Gene, then I promise to say no more. Where did you go after you walked out?"

"Where I always go when I need to get away from everythin'." At Alex's confused expression Gene smiled again and simply added: "Pub. Not that it helped, mind you. First some poncy landlord tells me I can't smoke inside, then when I told him I'm a copper he says that in that case I should be settin' a good example, and _then,_" Gene went on dramatically, "he suggests that I give it up altogether! Bloody cheek!"

Alex chuckled; she had to admit she had forgotten all about the smoking ban, else she would have warned him not to light up.

Gene watched her and felt himself relax almost instantly, as though letting out a breath he hadn't consciously been holding in – he had forgotten how much he liked to see her laugh.

"The offer still stands, Gene. If you've not found somewhere to live yet, you're still welcome to the spare room."

He sat lightly on the edge of the bed, "Thanks Alex. Jus' till I get myself sorted out."

"It's yours as long as you need it."


	11. Meetings and Messages

**I've put the rating up to M since the story gets a bit darker during the next few chapters.**

* * *

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Eleven – Meetings and Messages_

For the second time, Gene drove himself, Alex and Molly away from the hospital. This time, however, the atmosphere in the car was completely different. All three where happily chatting away together. Gene even forgot to grumble about the traffic and soon they arrived back at Alex's flat.

Gene and Molly went straight through to the living room, while Alex paused for a moment by the hall table. The light on the answer machine was blinking at her. Alex pressed play as she pulled off her coat.

"You have one new message." The electronic voice informed her, "Message one: _Alex, Alex, Alex. You can't avoid me forever you know-_" She froze as the familiar voice filled the hallway, but on hearing movement in the next room Alex leapt forward and hit the delete button.

"Message deleted." The machine said just as Gene stepped through the doorway from the living room.

"You ok?" Gene said noting her flushed cheeks. He glanced down at the answer machine but saw only an innocent zero displayed on the screen.

"Yes, fine. I'll be right through." She was lying. Gene knew it. Alex knew he knew it too. Gene frowned but let it go, she would tell him if and when she wanted to.

* * *

Gene lay on his back, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling of this unfamiliar bedroom. He could still hear Alex moving around in her room through the wall on his left and the sound strangely relaxed him. _He was not alone. _At least in this place, this _time_, he had a familiar face to take comfort in.

He had been telling the truth when he had said that he didn't blame her. How could he? It had been his choice to follow her onto the doomed boat; and deep down he knew he'd make the same decision again, even knowing where the choice would lead him.

He'd follow her anywhere.

She intrigued him, excited him and annoyed the hell out of him, all in equal measures. Gene had never felt anything so passionately, and instinctively he knew that if he ever lost that feeling he would struggle to recover.

* * *

Molly leapt to her feet when Gene entered the kitchen the following morning. "Gene! Breakfast – what would you like? We've got cereal, toast, eggs-"

"Don't Mols, really. I'm not a breakfast person."

Molly frowned, tilted her head to one side and said, in what was almost a perfect imitation of her mother's disapproving tone, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Gene snorted and sat down at the table. "Not that _she_ does," Molly continued in a quieter voice, "She's always skipping breakfast _and_ sometimes lunch, Evan's always on at her about it, he says she's not looking after herself."

At that moment Alex entered the kitchen, her hair blow-dried straight and her make-up in place. "Oh, Gene. You're up."

But Gene didn't get a chance to explain before Molly cut in. "Breakfast mum?"

"No thank you, Mols" Alex answered, turning away to rummage through one of the cupboards. Molly raised her eyebrows at Gene, sending him the silent message _I told you so_.

"Got it!" Alex said triumphantly and as she turned back to Gene she held out her hand to him, "Here." Only after her had taken the small silver object did he register that it was a key.

"What's this?"

"It's a key," she said in a voice that dripped with sarcasm. "Front door key. I'll have to get another copy of the downstairs key cut for you but in the meantime I can buzz you in from up here. Or Frank along the hallway in 3b is usually in."

"You don't have to give me a key Alex, I won't be 'ere long."

"Well you can give it back when you find somewhere else." Alex sat down and that, it seemed, was the end of the matter.

"Right. I'll be off then."

"Off?"

_Was that disappointment in her voice?_ "Work Bols. No point me sitting here getting under yer feet."

"Oh. I thought…" But exactly what Alex thought she decided not to share with Gene.

"But you're on holiday Gene. You said you had two weeks off."

"I know Mols but I've cut it short. Keep m' holiday fer when I really want it."

"Easter!" Molly exclaimed, a grin spreading across her face, as she practically bounced up and down in her chair. "You could take the time off at Easter and come with us to-"

"Molly! Gene doesn't want to come on holiday with us."

"But he could-" Alex's glare stopped Molly mid-sentence. A silent warning passed between Mother and daughter. The fair haired girl got up abruptly from the table, put her bowl in the sink, and stormed from the kitchen muttering "I've got to get ready for school."

Alex closed her eyes and sighed. "Sorry about that Gene."

"S'fine" He stood and walked to the door way, "I'll umm, see yer later then."

"Yeah. Later." They watched each other closely for a moment, waiting, wondering how this awkward morning meeting should end. "Have a nice day Gene." Alex said finally. He nodded and made a fast exit from the flat.

Alex waited till she heard the door swing closed, then hit her head softly on the table. _Have a nice day?_

* * *

DI Philip Stiles led Gene along the final corridor, concluding his tour, unaware that Gene already knew his way around the building. "Well that's the station, time to meet the team." The pair walked slowly around the squad room. "We're one of the larger divisions in the MET. We've got two DI's myself and DI Alex Drake, who I'm told you already know."

"I've worked with Drake before." Gene said, and left it at that, no one needed to know where he was living or how he knew Alex. Not that he could explain it even if he wanted too.

"Alex has asked to come back to work later this week, on light duties only of course." He paused, "we never did catch Arthur Layton, you know. Had several good leads and even a possible sighting but they all came to nothing in the end. He's gone underground – for good this time, at least that's what I think." DI Stiles stopped to consider for a moment before continuing on the tour of the room.

"This is DS Rhys Walsh." Gene shook hands with the DS, "He works closely with DI Drake." As they moved away from DS Walsh's desk Stiles added quietly, "He should have been made acting DI, but the powers that be said he wasn't experienced enough - he hasn't been a DS for very long. He learns quickly though, and he works hard. He's picked up a lot from Alex in the time he's been here, he'll make a good DI one day." By now they had reached what was easily the most chaotic desk in the room, "You've met DS Ashby already, he's been our acting DI while Alex has been in hospital and I've been acting DCI."

"Yes, DCI Hunt, we met the other day. Remember?"

"I do." Gene said, shaking the man's hand briefly before moving away.

"I'm glad you're ready to start so soon, to be honest with you, Dan Ashby should never have been made acting DI, at least as a DS there's only so much harm he can do." Philip gave Gene a weak smile. "I'm sure you know the type?"

"Hmm y'could say that."

"I'll be honest with you, you'll know soon enough anyway, he's a liability – too easily distracted. _But,_ in his defence: he's only been with us a few months so maybe he's yet to show his hidden brilliance." Stiles shrugged and continued quietly, "Or maybe he really is useless and that why his old team where so happy to get shot of him."

Gene attempted to stay professional and hold back a smile twitching at the corners of his lips, "An' what about you? Won't you miss bein' acting DCI?"

"Oh I doubt it, I'm not looking for promotion right now." At the sight of Gene's slightly raised eyebrows he elaborated, "My wife and I have a baby boy – Oscar," he grinned, "he's only a year old. So I can do without any extra pressure at work for the moment. I'm looking forward to an easier life after the last couple of weeks – I've been filling the role of DCI as well as keeping up with my own work as a DI. And on top of that I've been keeping one eye on _acting_ _DI_ Ashby, honestly you'd think delegating would mean less work but I just end up having to unscramble the mess after he's finished."

Gene sighed, "I had a DC like that." Memories of his old team filled his mind, painful memories. Chris and Ray had followed him to London after Sam had died, but they couldn't follow him here.

Needing to distract himself, Gene turned to the last officers left to meet, "So who are these three then?"

"Our three DC's: Jo Kent, Dillon Miller and Hazel Richards." Philip introduced each of them as they too shook Gene by the hand. Jo was tall and she looked to be about Alex's age. DC Richards was a bit younger but held herself with an air of confidence rarely found in the younger officers, a brief image of Shaz flashed through Gene's mind but was quickly brushed aside. Dillon Miller was roughly Gene's age, old for a DC he thought, but that did not necessarily mean anything, Gene had known some excellent coppers who never wanted the promotion that would take them off the streets.

A new team. More than a new team: A new life.

* * *

"Alex?"

"In here!" She called from the kitchen. "Good day?" she asked pouring him a glass of wine."

Gene shrugged, "Met the new team. New office."

She frowned, "Same office – it's the same station."

"No. Not my office. Same room but… it's different." He shrugged put of his coat and sat down.

Alex sat down opposite him at the kitchen table, topping up her own glass, "give it time, Gene." He nodded, she was probably right. She usually was. "I got that key cut for you." She nodded towards the key on the table between them.

"Thanks," Gene said as he pocketed the key.

"Me and Mols are going to walk down the road and get a film out, then we're to Evan's for a girly night in." She smiled mischievously, "You're welcome to join us."

Gene snorted, "No can do, Bols. I'm goin' out."

"Oh?"

"I'm meeting Philip Stiles for a drink."

"Well that's good. Phil's a nice guy. Freya's lovely too."

"Who?"

"Freya: his wife. They have a little boy, did he tell you."

"Might 'ave mentioned it." Gene muttered.

"Well if you're going to be out we might pop round to see Evan, he keeps ringing to check I'm ok."

"That's nice of him," Gene failed to keep his voice sarcasm free.

Alex looked back at him sharply. "He's my Godfather, Gene, he's just worried about Molly and me. What's your problem?"

"I've got no problem with him; it's him who has a problem with me!" Gene retorted defensively.

"He's just not sure how to deal with everything, you know - you being here, in 2008."

"Well we should start a bloody club then, 'cos I'm not too pleased about it either!"

Alex looked away, the guilt quickly returning at Gene's words. "I'm going to let Molly know what's happening," she mumbled quietly and left him alone in the kitchen.

_Damn! _Gene unknowingly mimicked Alex's earlier action: hitting his head against the table. _Well done, Hunt, excellent demonstration of how to put your size 11 foot right in it!_

"We're off now Gene." Alex said from the doorway.

"Right. I won't be too late."

She shrugged, "Be as late as you want, you have a key. Just try not to wake Mols when you come in." She turned to leave.

"Alex?" Gene called her back. His mind seemed to go blank as he looked into her anxious face. He struggled to find the right words. "Thanks for letting me stay."

"I've already told you: it's not a problem."

Gene watched her closely. "You don't owe me anything, Alex you know that, don't you?" He said slowly. Her gaze dropped to the ground. Gene sighed and, surprising himself as much as her, reached for her hands, squeezing her fingers gently. The action had just been instinctive, but she didn't seem to mind, so he took another step forwards. "I shouldn't have snapped," he muttered. For a man who didn't make a habit of apologising he seemed to be doing it a lot lately.

"No, I'm sorry." Gene tipped her face up so it was level with his, looking deep into her eyes. Without thinking he brushed his fingers across her face, smoothing away the worried creases. Alex could only stare. Hypnotised by his expression. Paralysed by his touch. Alex remembered how he had been in the boat after the bomb. How he had cradled her in his arms. His kiss…

Suddenly she felt very aware of how close they were, and by the look in his eyes she knew he felt it too.

"Mum?" Molly's voice called from the hallway and the moment shattered as the pair were brought crashing back to reality. They jumped apart, shyly looking anywhere but at each other.

"I better go." Alex said breathlessly, "have a good evening." He nodded and watched her leave, suddenly wishing he hadn't made an arrangement to go out, wishing she was back in the kitchen with him.

Alex sighed as she pulled the front door closed behind her, disappointed in the knowledge that he would be out when she returned.

* * *

Evan was a brilliant host, as usual. He made food for the three of them, entertained Molly and watched the film the teenager had picked out without a word of complaint. Alex spent most of the evening sitting in the armchair in the corner, watching them quietly. The love he had for Molly was obvious but he must have been more than relieved that Alex had recovered. The strain of bringing up another young girl may well have proved to be too much. He wasn't the young man he had once been.

Bringing up someone else's child could not be an easy task.

As the pair left later that evening Alex hugged Evan tighter than she had done since she was a small child. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear. And they both knew that she didn't just mean for having them round for the evening.

* * *

"Have you got it?"

"You shouldn't have come here. Not tonight. Alex has only just left," Evan said quietly, stepping aside and letting the visitor into the house.

"She'll have to see me eventually." The newcomer followed a familiar route down the hallway to the brightly lit, modern kitchen with Evan close on his heels. The man checked the teapot but stepped away disappointed. "Put the kettle on."

"You can't stay."

Evan's 'guest' sighed and reached for the kettle himself, filling it and switching it on before he spoke again. Evan waited, his eyes nervously following every movement. "So have you got what I need or not?"

Evan shuffled uncomfortably. His hands, hidden inside his jacket pockets, clenched tightly. "Not yet."

"Hmm. You know we can't delay much longer." He paused, "What do you expect me to tell our mutual friend? He won't be pleased."

Evan felt the anger spreading through him. Why should he put up with being spoken to like this? In his own home too! "Tell him whatever you like," he snapped.

The visitor gave Evan a sharp stare - its message was deadly clear: _don't fuck with me_.

Neither man spoke for several minutes, the kettle boiled and tea was poured. Their argument pushed aside but not forgotten. "How is Alex?"

"Fine, still recovering but you know Alex – can't bear to accept that she might need help. She's back at home, with Molly." Evan paused, "there's something else you should know: Gene Hunt is staying with her."

"Are they together?"

"I don't think so, but they're close. You should move soon or he could become a problem."

His face twisted into a cruel smile, "I can deal with Hunt."


	12. You Don't Need Me

**Thank you so much for all the helpful comments - I have tried to take it all on, and I will aim to make each chapter better than the last.**

**There is** **adult content**** in this chapter.**

* * *

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Twelve - You Don't Need Me_

Gene knocked softly, standing at the threshold of Alex's bedroom, before pushing the already ajar door fully open. "Bols?"

"Hey, Gene. Not seen much of you this past week."

"Been busy."

"Hmm, not avoiding me then?"

He shook his head, "can I come in, Alex?"

"You're already in Gene."

"You know what I mean."

She nodded. She had been standing at the dressing table but now Alex sat down on the bed and motioned for Gene to do the same. He perched himself on the very edge of the mattress, putting as much distance between them as he could. Alex sighed inwardly, _why the sudden distance Gene? _she thought sadly.

"I'm moving out, Alex."

"I thought you might be," she answered, she honestly had been expecting this conversation for a few days now.

Gene nodded, shifting slightly so that the palms of his hands now rested on his thighs, as though he were about to get up. But he didn't. "Philip knew someone who knew someone, helped me get it sorted quickly. It's a flat. Not that far from, well, from where my house used to be." He trailed off into silence.

"That's good Gene, I'm happy for you." He looked up at her and his eyes were burning with the intensity of his gaze, burning with an unspoken message whose meaning was buried too deeply for her to read. He blinked and the moment was gone.

Gene stood, and muttered a gruff goodbye before leaving. And so ended the longest conversation they'd had for nearly a week. Alex tried to ignore the sudden ache in her heart.

* * *

Gene downed the last of his pint and looked again at his watch. Only 10:30.

"Somewhere else you'd rather be?" asked Philip, sitting on his left.

"What? Oh. No, not exactly. Another?" He said holding up the empty glass.

"No, better not."

"Suit yourself."

"No one waiting for you at home then, Gene?" He didn't answer. His thoughts drifted, as they so often did, onto Alex. Would she be waiting up, listening out for when he got home? He doubted it. She had her real life back now and no room in it for an out of date copper. He hated himself for letting her have this effect on him, hated that he cared what she thought. He hated most things in 2008, but not her; he could never hate her no matter how hard he tried. And he had tried – tried to get her out of his head, but somehow every conversation, every train of thought seemed to lead him straight back to Alex.

"I'm off Gene." Philip's voice cut through his thoughts. "No offence, but you've been shit company tonight, most of this week in fact. Whoever she is I suggest you go to her Gene, sitting here isn't helping either of you."

"What? I told you there isn't anyone."

"If you say so. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah." Gene said nodding goodbye and looking back down at the table. He really should go back soon. He'd rather stay here and get completely rat-arsed but then where would he go? _Can't let her see me like that_.

Only a few more nights of sleeping in the room next to her, wanting what he couldn't have, what he would never have.

Gene got up. As long as he didn't have to see her it would be ok, _stay out of her way and you'll forget her. She'll forget you too, if she hasn't already. She acts all independent but she still needs someone to protect her, someone who can be strong for her without stopping her from being Alex. Her equal. But that someone will never be me, not here, maybe in 1981, but not here._

* * *

Gene fumbled with his key, missing the lock several times; he stumbled down the hallway into the living room, one hand on the wall feeling for the switches. He flicked the switches on and light flooded the room.

He was not alone.

"Alex?"

"Hi Gene. Sorry if I startled you." Her voice was quiet and her eyes were red.

"You ok? Were you trying to sleep?"

"I'm ok, and no I wasn't asleep."

"But the lights-"

"They were too bright," she admitted, quietly, "they were making my headache worse."

"Oh, sorry Bols," he said and quickly turned the lights back off. "Have you taken your painkillers?"

"Yeah, they dull the pain but it's still…" she closed her eyes, one hand rubbing hard at her temple. "I'm ok." She said again, as much to herself as too Gene.

He stood and watched her for a moment, taking a rare chance to look without being seen. "If you're sure you're ok I'm off to bed Bols," he muttered and getting no answer he crossed the living room heading in the direction of the guest room.

He had nearly got away before she spoke. "Stay with me Gene. I can't sleep and I know you can't either, I've heard you moving around in the night more than once. Sit with me. We used to spend so much time together."

"It's different now."

"It doesn't have to be different," she said, only just managing to keep her voice from trembling. She waited, holding her breath, listening to the _thump thump_ of her heart.

Gene moved round to sit on the sofa opposite her. He squinted at her face in the dim light from the window, "Shit, Bols you look awful, you sure you don't need a doctor?"

"I don't need a doctor Gene, right now I just need you."

Gene paused. "You don't need me Alex." He stood up, _like a bloody jack-in-the-box, up down up down._

She stood up too, "I do need you Gene, I've always needed you." She took a step towards him, looking deep into his eyes, hoping to see something other than anger reflected there. He looked back at her. She saw the lust he couldn't bring himself to hide. "Gene," she breathed, stepping even closer. Close enough to feel the heat from his body.

Their lips met half way and it was nothing like the gentle kiss they had shared on the boat, a lifetime ago.

"Where's – Molly - ?" He asked between kisses.

"Staying - at Evan's." Alex's breath was coming in gasps. Gene ran a hand down her spine and Alex shuddered.

He pulled back, "You're sure about this Bols?"

"Sure? Sure that I want you? Yes I'm sure. I've wanted you for months. _Months,_" she repeated, pressing her body close to his to emphasise her point.

He didn't reply. He was thinking of the rejections, the night before the car bomb and a once more not long after that night. He'd stopped trying after the second attempt, leaving his pride bruised but not beyond repair.

She sensed his hesitation, and felt herself remembering too. "It was different then," she said, her voice still quiet but more serious in tone, "I needed to concentrate on getting back to Molly." She stared into his eyes, willing him to look back at her. He did. "I still _wanted_ you Gene, how could I not?"

As he gazed down into her soft hazel eyes he saw her opening up to him, allowing him to read her, he saw the truth in her words and felt his worries begin to ebb away. She wanted him!

He wanted her too. Bugger the consequences.

He lowered his mouth and stole her breath away. Parting her lips with his own, pushing his tongue into her mouth. Loving the taste of her, the feel of her against him, the gentle pressure as she threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer.

He stepped back, the backs of his legs hitting the sofa. He broke the kiss, sitting down on the sofa, looking up at her. Alex didn't paused to think, she knew what she wanted, knew he wanted it too. She climbed onto his lap, Gene's groan as her weight settled on top of him was swallowed by Alex's insistent kiss. His hands never stilled, roaming over her lower back, sweeping round her waist, down her thighs and then back up her spine.

Alex shivered, arching her back at his touch, desperate for more. Her trembling fingers fumbled with the first few buttons of her blouse, but Gene's hands were there in a moment, knocking her fingers away.

He pushed the blouse away from her shoulders, his fingertips brushing lightly over the newly exposed flesh. He left her bra in place and lent back, watching her. Alex gazed back at him, her breasts rising and falling with each shaky breath.

Slowly she leant forward, unbuttoning his shirt, each button seeming to take and age. He didn't move, but continued to watch her through dark eyes. Finally she pushed his shirt away only to meet the vest below "Gene-?" she pleaded quietly, he understood. He pulled his vest off and instantly Alex's hands began to explore, over his shoulders, down his chest, and down further to meet his trousers.

She slipped off his lap to kneel on the floor and Gene moaned at the loss of contact. She unbuckled his belt, drew down the zip. He shifted to help as Alex pulled his trousers down, freeing him. He grunted as she took him in her hand, brushing her thumb across the head.

Then without warning she took him into her mouth. Gene's head crashed back against the sofa, his eyes closed, reeling in the feeling of her warm mouth swallowing him. He took a moment to just enjoy the sensation, his breath coming in gasps, and then he looked down at her. He nearly came then and there, his hips bucked forward. The sight of her bent over him, mouth around him, was better than he had ever imagined. He pulled her hair back, away from her face so he could watch her properly, staring transfixed, unable to take his eyes off her. Gene felt himself tensing, he was close, "Alex," he pulled her back, one hand still tangled in her hair, "not yet."

She tugged at his hand, pulling him up from the sofa. He stood and reached out, drawing her close, kissing her hard. Alex stumbled backwards, taking him with her, leading him to her room, her bed…

Gene guided Alex onto the bed and moved over her, removing her remaining cloths - peeling off the skin tight jeans, her already damp knickers, unclipping her bra. He cupped her breasts for the first time, brushing his thumbs over the hand peeks. Alex swore quietly and Gene laughed, taking one nipple into his mouth.

One hand began to slide down her soft skin, pausing briefly at her hip then travelling further down, to rest on her thigh. Alex muttered incoherently as he caressed her inner thigh for a moment, teasing. His hand moved up to lie between her legs and then, finally, his fingers parted her folds, dipping inside her, delicately at first.

Soon his fingers were thrusting hard. "Oh God" Alex cried, her eyes squeezed shut, her head tipped back. Gene watched her face, his lips curving into a smile as he saw her control slipping away. His thumb found her clit and she arched her back, her hips leaving the mattress as she pushed herself hard against his hand.

Gene moved over her and settled between her legs, supporting himself on one arm. He brought his wet fingers up between them and licked at her juices, "You taste good Bolly," he said, pressing his fingers to her lips, Alex took them deep into her mouth, tasting herself on his skin. Her eyes never left his as she sucked hard on his fingers.

Gene pulled his hand away and shifted his weight slightly.

He entered her in one swift thrust, Alex gasped and let out a long moan as Gene swore with the effort of not coming too soon. Neither moved for a moment, both looking deeply into the others eyes. They continued to watch each other as Gene pulled out and drove into her again.

Their pace, slow to start, soon became faster and less controlled. And then they were kissing again, more aggressively than before, teeth nipping, tongues duelling. Gene moved his mouth to her neck and alternated between kissing and biting softly, he felt rather than heard Alex's groan. Gene felt himself slipping towards his climax and they came together, in a tangle of limbs.

Gene rolled off her, pulling her back into his chest, he felt a stupid grin spreading across his face and was glad that Alex couldn't see him. There were no words for some time but instead there was a comfortable silence.

"How your head?"

"Much better. Thanks to you," Alex replied in a voice barely louder than a whisper. She griped his hand tightly. He watched her profile, watched as she slipped easily into sleep.

Gene relaxed, breathing in her scent, kissing her neck, as he too submitted to sleep.

* * *

**Be kind, it's my first attempt at writing this kind of thing.**

**Thanks for reading.  
E x**


	13. From One Fruitcake To Another

__

O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Thirteen – From One Fruitcake To Another

Gene woke to a soft breeze brushing against his cheek. The window was open and the first light was drifting in from between the curtains. It must still be early. He turned slightly onto his side and gazed down at her.

The now increasingly familiar warm feeling began to fill his chest. He would never get used to waking up beside her, legs intertwined, the soft tickle of her breath on his skin. He would never stop being surprised that it hadn't all been a long and vivid dream.

For nearly a week he had started each day just like this - watching her sleep for as long as possible, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her, until he just couldn't wait any longer – it wasn't long before that moment arrived. He slid his arm around her waist, pulling her closer, his lips descending onto her neck.

Bizarre how a week of barely speaking, had been followed by a week of being so close. Unbelievable. Officially he'd moved out three days ago, but somehow he seemed to have spent more time at Alex's than he had at his new flat, as if having the option to keep his distance made him see just how much he wanted to be near her. His reckless half kept reminding him this could all end at any moment - so why waste a moment worrying if it's not real anyway?

"Mmm… Gene." Her hands curled around him, fingers trailing lazily up his back.

"Morning."

"Already?" she mumbled sleepily. He laughed and rolled Alex onto her back. Suddenly her eyes were a lot more alert, the hands on his back a lot more insistent. No, he thought happily, he would never get used to waking up to this.

* * *

Gene watched Alex move purposefully around the Kitchen, watched as she swiftly opened cupboards, placing mugs on the clear surface, making tea for them both. Watched with a deep frown on his face.

Now was the right moment, he realised. He had waited for the right moment all week and here it was. He had given this a great deal of thought, too much – if that was indeed possible. He wanted to be with Alex; of that he couldn't be more certain. He'd wanted her in the 80's and he still wanted her now, wanted her all the time. But even now he couldn't read her, couldn't be sure how she felt and it was driving him mad. Was it just sex to her? Or was it something more? Did he want it to be something more?

And now they were alone… _Damn! It's now or never_.

In his frustration he had not noticed Alex as she carried the two steaming mugs to the table where he sat. She watched him closely, almost in amusement, as he scowled at the nothing in particular, distracted and determined, and unbelievably attractive.

"We never did go out for that dinner you know." He said suddenly.

It took Alex a moment to digest him words and understand their meaning. "We went to Luigi's the night before my parents died." She said at last, and felt an unexpected surge of relief at finally being able to refer to Tim and Caroline as her parents, finally she could be honest about what had happened.

"We were _always_ in Luigi's."

She nodded and smiled, sipping her tea, "True."

"So how about it then?" The words slipped quickly off his tongue before he could bite them back.

Her brow creased in confusion. "How about what?"

_Christ! Is this a wind up, or is she really this slow?_ "You and me, Bols, my shout. Tomorrow night?"

Alex's face flushed. _How had she not seen that coming?_ "Oh, Gene… I can't-"

"Right, 'course. Was just a thought." he got up abruptly, leaving his tea untouched, "I better be off."

Alex rose and hastily put herself between him and the door, "Gene," she said, resting a hand on the bare skin of his arm, "I can't tomorrow night, I've promised Molly we'll go to the cinema, see a film like we used to on Thursdays. But I'm free Friday?"

"Friday? Friday it is then, it's a date," he said and immediately wished he hadn't used the 'D' word. "Well, you know, it's dinner…"

Alex smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "It's a date, Gene," she corrected, and she reached up, pressing her lips softly to his with a kiss that was brief but full of meaning.

* * *

Friday evening was a long time in coming. Molly was sleeping over at a friend's so they truly did have the evening to themselves. Alex couldn't help but fuss, and found her self worrying, for the first time, what Gene thought of her new/old look – new to him, old to her. Her hair was straight and she wore less makeup, did he mind?

A knock at the door - too late now; she would have to do as she was.

* * *

Alex observed Gene closely over her wine glass, swirling the deep red liquid round her glass. "I'm coming back to work next week."

Gene regarded her, "You're sure it's not too soon?"

"It's not too soon, I need to be busy, and work will help."

"And the headaches?"

"Almost gone," she lied.

He frowned, "I'm not stupid, Alex."

"I'm dealing with it Gene, I'm coping. Work will help," she repeated, "Anyway, I've cleared it with the Super so I start on Monday."

"Hmm."

Alex pressed her lips firmly together, determined not to argue further on the point, "I don't want to talk about work."

"Fine with me." His face clouded over as thoughts of work overwhelmed him. He didn't want her back yet; he still hadn't found his feet. He didn't want her to see him messing up, saying the wrong thing, or worse: saying nothing at all.

He'd turned into exactly the kind of DCI he'd always hated: desk bound with little or no contact with the real job. It was a big team, so he could legitimately take on a more managerial role but that was just an excuse and he knew it. She would know it too. He sighed, she would see for herself soon enough.

Alex watched his face grow stormy with thoughts, and felt her heart sink. He was still the same complex web of emotions he always had been, still just as impenetrable even now that their relationship had undoubtedly deepened. "Talk to me Gene."

Gene looked up and seemed to consider her for a moment, before carefully putting some of his thoughts into words. "What if all this-" he gestured at the restaurant around them, "-is just in my head, if none of this is real. This whole world could be just a fantasy made up by my mind. This could all just be my last few moments of life, unless I'm already dead." Gene stared down at the table, "Or I maybe I'm just mad, and its my memories from 1982 that aren't real."

"You're not mad Gene."

"Coming from you Bols that's not hugely reassuring."

She smiled, and so did he.

"Maybe both our worlds are real Gene. Or maybe there aren't two worlds at all – the same world, different time."

"They can't both be real Alex, I'm either from 1982 and dying or from 2008 and mad. And if… If I _am_ from 1982, and none of this really exists, then I have to fight. I have to at least _try_ to get home, because I don't belong here. I can't stay."

He looked up at her, the beautiful woman sitting opposite him with the saddest smile on her face, and knew that no more words were needed:_ she understood_.

Alex reached across the table to take his hands, squeezing his fingers gently. "Evan said that we both died on that boat, but who knows what's possible any more? You're here, and you're fighting, and that's what counts." She looked away, biting down on her lip. "I can't say I wouldn't miss you if you went Gene but it would be hugely selfish, not to mention hypocritical, to ask you to stay. You have to be where you feel is right – so if I can help you get back Gene then I promise you that I will."

Gene felt his chest tighten at her words, she was telling him that she would let him go home if that was what he wanted, and in a strange way that meant more than if she had begged him to stay. He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it gently.

They sat in an understanding silence; just enjoying the time they had together, appreciating that it would not, _could not_, last forever.

"Thank you Gene."

"For what Bols?"

"Talking to me. I know it's hard, and I know how lonely _this_ can be. I just… You can talk to me Gene, I just wanted you to know that."

"From one fruitcake to another, eh Bols?"

Alex laughed, "Yes indeed."

* * *

As Alex walked through the double doors on Monday morning the squad room erupted into applause.

"Yes, yes," Gene called after a minute, "as you can see DI Drake here is back – on desk duties only mind. I'm sure you'll all want to welcome her back but don't forget we still have a job to do."

"Thanks Guv," she said sitting down at her desk.

Gene nodded, holding her gaze for a heartbeat longer than was appropriate.

In that instant Gene felt a blaze of bravery burning through him. A sudden strength coming directly from Alex. He could rise to this challenge. He could learn and adapt, he'd done it before. Only this time he had Alex to help him through. It was worth it to make her proud. He hadn't chosen to be here but he could choose to make the most of it, while it lasted.

Maybe having her back at work was the right decision after all.


	14. Don't Go

**I know we meet Molly's dad in "Ashes to Ashes: Series 2" but as I planned and started writing this story before that was aired I have decided to continue on with my own character. **

_

* * *

_

O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Fourteen – Don't Go

Alex pushed through the double doors, walked to her desk, dropped her bag to the floor, sat down and opened a nearby file, chosen at random. Only then did she allow herself to look up. Her eyes met his. Stormy grey and fixed on her. She knew he'd been watching all along.

They always arrived separately, five minutes apart, although they often left her flat together.

Her eyes dropped back to the file on her desk, the smallest of smiles dancing across her lips, but he continued to watch her silently.

That first morning look across the office was the best moment of his day. He had to admit there were lots of good moments: waking up next to Alex each morning, her encouraging smile as he got involved with an investigation at work, sharing a bottle of cheap wine at her flat in the evening, the look on her face as he took her again, and again.

But he'd settle for that look. There was so much passion and promise in just that one look. A look just for him. Life was getting easier in 2008, no doubt about it, but for the briefest of moments Gene could forget that he was in the 21st century and convince himself it was just him and Alex against the world, like it had always been, except better because they had each other.

When she gave him that look he could pretend he had it all.

* * *

Alex looked through the window of Gene's closed office door. He was deep in conversation with Philip. Good.

She walked quickly into the kitchen and put the kettle on then sank into the nearest chair with a heavy sigh. Her elbows resting on her knees, her head in her hands she listened to the soft gurgle of boiling water.

"You shouldn't be here."

Her head snapped up. "Gene. I was just making tea- "

"I'm serious Bols, if your headaches are half as bad as you look you should go home."

"Cheers Guv. I don't look that bad."

Gene's eyebrows raised a fraction. "Alex." His voice dropped to a gently growl. He brought his hand up and rested his palm along the side of her head, his thumb gently rubbing the skin behind her ear. "Have you told the doctor that you're still getting these headaches?"

She didn't answer.

He sighed. "You're not right Bols. Should be at home," his voice fell to a whisper as he added, more to himself than to her, "should have _made_ you stay at home."

"I wouldn't have let you."

He smiled at her stubborn frown, "I know." She returned his smile and closed her eyes, leaning her head against his hand. "You're whiter than a sheet of paper Bols. Thin as one too. What you need is- " But at that moment Gene fell silent, pulled his hand away and stepped back, all within a heartbeat. But not quickly enough. Philip came through the kitchen doorway.

"Guv?"

"Drake's ill. I'm sending her home."

"Gene, please-"

"That's my final word on the matter. Go home Drake. Get DS Walsh to drive you."

Alex huffed angrily and got up – too fast in seemed as the sudden movement caused a fresh bust of pain to slice through her skull.

She didn't meet Philip's eye as she left, didn't see his expression, the mixture of confusion and suspicion in his questioning gaze.

But Gene did.

* * *

"Thanks Rhys, here's fine."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure," Alex smiled weakly and got out of the patrol car. DS Walsh waited until Alex had reached the double doors at the bottom of her block of flats. She turned and waved the worried sergeant off before heading upstairs.

Alex slipped her shoes off as soon as she got through the front door; she padded to the sofa and sat down with a deep sigh, her forehead resting on the palm of one hand while the other blindly searched the coffee table for the home phone. Finding it she dialled the familiar number without having to look up.

"Hello?"

"Evan?"

"Alex? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it me."

There was a pause on Evan's end of the line, "You're not at work?"

"No. Gene sent me home."

"Alex are you ok?"

"No not really. The headaches are getting worse, I just can't concentrate. I can't even think."

"Alex I'm coming over ok?"

"Ok Evan. Thanks." Alex slowly placed the phone back into its cradle. She sank back into the sofa cushions, trying to relax and drifted quickly from a state of physical and emotion exhaustion into sleep.

The knock at the door was like three heavy blows to the back of her head. Alex rubbed her eyes hard and stood, before slowly making her way to the hallway.

But it was not Evan who greeted her.

* * *

"I'm clocking off now Phil."

"Already Gene?"

Gene looked around the nearly deserted squad room, "You should just about manage without me don't you think?"

"Point taken. You going for a drink?"

"Not tonight, another time though," Gene called over his shoulder. Philip watched him go, the light frown creasing his brow slowly giving way to knowing smile.

* * *

Alex stared at Jack for a full minute before either of them spoke.

"Are you going to let me in Alex?" She flinched as he said her name and moved to close the door, but Jack got his foot in first. "Bad move Alex, you know better than that."

"No! I don't want you here."

"I do hope you're not going to make this difficult for me Alex," he said without a trace of humour and pushed her away from the door. "We need to have a little chat before your friend Gene gets home."

"But- Evan?"

"Oh Evan got caught up at work, but don't worry Alex - I'll look after you."

* * *

Gene drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. _Bloody traffic!_ For the second time his eyes flicked from the road to the street on his right and back again. One shop kept catching his eye. There was a parking space right there too, almost too good to be true…

He shook his head. _Bloody women!_ He swung the car through a gap in the oncoming traffic and into the convenient parking spot and got out.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Gene stood outside Alex's block of flats, peering at the long list of surnames. Quickly finding Drake he went to press the buzzer when a sudden thought struck him: _what if she's asleep?_

Momentarily torn, Gene almost turned to head back to the car, but then he remembered: _The key!_ He still had her spare key, both keys in fact: upstairs and down. He could let himself in and out without disturbing her. It was perfect.

Once upstairs Gene opened the door to the now familiar flat and quietly pulled it closed behind him, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. He felt slightly foolish but couldn't help but be pleased with his efforts as he placed the bunch of flowers down gently on the kitchen surface and carefully retrieved the empty vase from the windowsill. He inspected the packet of flower feed momentarily before deciding to leave that for Alex to deal with. After adding water then the flowers to the vase, Gene stepped back to view his work.

A scowl spread slowly across his forehead. Flowers? Who was he kidding? The Gene Genie didn't do flowers! He was on the point of transferring the contents of the vase into the bin when a noise from down the corridor distracted him.

"Alex?" Gene called as he walked towards her bedroom; he knocked softly on the door then pushed it open.

Alex was sitting on the bed, her legs tucked neatly beside her. A stunned and panicked expression flickered across her face, "Gene?"

"Hey. Didn't expect you to be awake, I-"

But Gene stopped mid sentence as his gaze rested on a stranger who had just stepped out from the en-suite bathroom. His crisp white shirt open at the neck, his hansom features and thick curly brown hair all made Gene skin prickly unpleasantly.

"Who the bloody hell are you?"

The man smiled calmly back at Gene with an arrogance that only deepened Gene's scowl.

"Jack Drake. And you are?"

_Drake?_ "Gene Hunt."

"Pleasure to meet you Mr Hunt, and how do you know my Alex?"

"_Your_ Alex?" Gene spluttered, his gaze thunderous now.

"Yes, isn't it wonderful," a cruel smile spread across Jack's lips as he sat down on the bed beside Alex, wrapping an arm possessively around her shoulders, "Alex and I are going to give it another go." Gene couldn't seem to drag his eyes away from the pair. He watched Alex desperately for some sign that she would contradict what had just been said. But she didn't even speak. _Why wasn't she saying anything?_

* * *

The pain in Alex's head was excruciating. All her energy was going into keeping her eyes open and trying to follow the conversation between Gene and Jack; but her brain seemed to have slowed almost to a stop and try as she might the words just weren't making any sense. She felt Jack sitting down beside her and then felt his arm pinning her to his side.

Alex looked up into Gene's face – something was very wrong but it was all happening too fast!

All she wanted to do was lie down with her head in her hands and cry herself to sleep, hoping that when she woke the pain would be gone.

* * *

Gene was torn between feeling hurt and feeling angry. He wanted to shout, to force Alex to admit that she had been leading him on all this time. But he couldn't do it. Hurt won. Gene hung his head in shame.

"Right, well. Good luck to you both," he muttered without looking up.

He departed swiftly from the room, unable to stay in their presence any longer. In another life he would have stayed, but not _here_, not _now_. There was once another Gene who would have stood his ground and fought for her. But he'd had to leave that part of him behind in 1982, that Gene wasn't welcome here.

And now all that was left was an empty shell.

* * *

Alex saw Gene's whole body slump forward, his head bowed, defeated. _No. This isn't right, _she thought desperately, _I need to reach him – Don't go! _Alex watched in panic as the door swung shut behind him.

"Gene!" she choked, but her voice was too weak to travel further than the door. And as she moved to follow him Jack's other arm circled her waist, holding her back.


	15. The Storm

**This is quite a dark chapter, some unpleasant themes, it gets worse before it gets better, you have been warned.**

* * *

O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Fifteen – The Storm

Alex struggled to free herself from his arms but Jack held her close with little effort. He laughed quietly, his lips pressed against her ear. "Come now Alex. We used to be good together. Just you and me. Remember?"

"Let me go," she cried.

"Oh I will Alex, I will," he soothed, one hand rubbing gently at her back. "But not yet."

Jack pushed her down onto the bed, Alex fought against him but her body was too weak. "No-" she gasped as Jack's fingers made light work of the buttons on her shirt.

"No?" he echoed back at her, "too late for that." He pushed her skirt up to her waist and parted her knees with his thighs. He forced Alex to lie back against the bed as her body began to shake.

"_Please_. Don't-"

But Jack only laughed, pinning her with his weight, knocking the air from her lungs. He pushed inside her with one thrust. Alex cried out silently, her voice at that moment seemed lost, her eyes widened in a combination of fear and pain.

But Alex would not submit, she fought back as hard as her tired body would allow: scratching and clawing at any part of him that she could reach; until Jack's hands closed around her wrists in a terrifyingly tight grip, pinning her arms to the mattress.

Alex closed her eyes as silent tears slid down her cheeks, ashamed by the occasional sparks of pleasure that she had no wish to feel. And Jack continued to thrust into her. Again. And again. She wept quietly, her head turned away so she didn't have to see his face. But she couldn't escape from his smell.

With a guttural moan, Jack emptied himself inside her and pulled away. He sat up but Alex didn't move. Couldn't move except for the sobs that shook her body.

"We need to talk some more Alex, but not today. You have something I want very much and you'll give it to me Alex. I know you will."

She felt the mattress dip and rise as he got up and left. Heard the door slam shut. Heard the clock in the hallway ticking. But still she did not move.

* * *

"Mum!" Molly kicked the door closed with her heal, her school bag hung from one hand and three books were tucked untidily under her other arm. "Mum – sorry I'm late, you won't believe how crazy my day has been. Tommy's totally cut up 'cause Katherine dumped him and he won't let her go and-" Molly dropped her bag in the doorway to the kitchen on finding the room empty. She frowned. "Mum? You home?"

Alex felt her bottom lip begin to tremble. She pushed herself up from the bed and stood on wobbly legs as Molly appeared in the bedroom doorway.

"Mum what's wrong?"

"Molly." Alex croaked, reaching out a hand to her daughter. Molly came immediately, hugging her mum tightly.

"What's happened mum?"

Alex pulled back, "Please Mols, no questions. Just… Just ring Gene."

Molly stared hard into her mum's face, thinking for a moment. "Ok," she said and ran from the room. In the living room she snatched up the wireless phone in one hand and raced to the notice board where Gene had scrawled his home number on a scrap of paper.

She dialled and waited. And waited. She redialled and, getting no answer for the second time, went quietly back into her mum's room.

"He's not there-"

Alex felt fresh tears splash down her cheeks. Blindly she walked towards the door and out.

"Mum! Where're you going?"

"Out Molly. I need-" she stopped, took a deep breath and spoke in what was the calmest voice she could manage, "I'm going out Mols, but I won't be long. I promise."

In all honesty Alex had no idea where she was going and, stepping out into the street, she felt her knees buckle below her. She lent against the nearest wall and wished it was Gene holding her up. Wished for his arms around her, his strength to guide her. But all she got was a brick wall.

"I need you Gene. Where are you?"

* * *

Alex walked awkwardly along the dark road, occasionally passing beneath the amber glare of a street lamp. Silently she counted off the house numbers, scrutinizing each door as she went, hoping she would instinctively know _his_ door…

In the end it wasn't the door that guided her to her destination, it was the "Let By" sign still up on the wall.

She knocked. She knocked harder. She waited, knocked again, tapped on the window, called out and, finally, gave in. A fresh wave of despair crashed down on her. She slumped against the wall of the porch and slid to the floor. He wasn't there. She needed him and he wasn't there. Alex hugged her knees into her chest, feeling numb, empty, abandoned.

"You alright Miss?"

Her head snapped up to see a young PC peering down at her. "I'm fine. Please just leave me alone."

"Are you sure, Miss? Is late and it's raining – best be getting home don't you think?"

_Raining?_ She blinked and looked at her surroundings, and sure enough the air was full of a light drizzle, barely stronger than a summer breeze.

"I can drop you home, Miss? It's no trouble."

"No." Alex whispered and when the PC looked like he might argue she pulled her warrant card from her pocket, "Look, I'm a DI and I asked you to leave me alone."

The young man backed off a step, "Sorry Ma'am," he muttered. But Alex wasn't listening. She was looking down at the hand holding the warrent card, looking at her wrists where the two dark blue bruises where beginning to blossom across her pale skin. She pulled her sleeves down further to cover the ugly marks, but it did no good, she still felt damaged, fragile and helpless. Feelings she had thought she'd left behind with her divorce…

"DI Drake?" The conscientious PC was back. "I've been asked to bring you down to the station."

"No."

"I'm sorry Ma'am, I don't think it was a request. DI Stiles asked me to drive you down there."

Alex shook her head, "no," she whispered.

"He said to tell you Molly's wants to see you."

Alex looked up with bloodshot eyes, "My Molly?"

He nodded, "Your Molly, she's waiting at the station with DI Stiles right now."

* * *

"Mum!"

The teenager rushed to her mothers side before Alex had stepped fully through the double doors. "Oh Molly." Alex saw Philip exchanging quiet words with the young PC who'd brought her in; she hugged her child tighter to her. _Focus on your daughter, Alex!_ she told herself sharply.

"Where'd you go?"

"I'm _so_ sorry Mols. I'm a useless mum." Alex could keep the wobble from her voice; she pressed a kiss to her daughter's soft brown hair.

"I was so scared. Didn't know what to do."

"You did the right thing. I'm so proud of you."

"Molly." They broke apart at the sound of Phil's voice. "What did I tell you, eh? Your mum's going to be fine, she just a bit tired and shaken up, but you know what I think will make her feel better? A nice cup of tea. There's a kitchen down the hall, Molly, why don't you fix your mum a drink?"

Molly hesitated, looking to her mum for reassurance. "I'll be fine," Alex said, smiling weakly and squeezing Molly's hands gently before letting her go. The two remaining police officers watched the young girl walk the length of the corridor before speaking.

"What's going on Alex?"

"I'm fine Phil, it's nothing really." The slight shake in her voice betrayed her and she self-consciously moved her bruised hand behind her back. "I just needed to see Gene."

"All this was about DCI Hunt?" Philip turned away, "So you've had some kind of lovers tiff and that's why he's suddenly taken four days leave. But you, Alex! Frightening Molly then leaving her alone without any explanation - What are you playing at?"

"He's taken his holiday time? Now? But where's he gone?"

"Said he needed to visit family."

Alex's eyes stung with unshed tears, "but he hasn't got any family here," she said quietly.

Philip shook his head in disgust, "Get a grip Alex. Act like a bloody adult, for Molly's sake, she's been through so much already! Office relationships don't work in the long term – you know that."

"It's not that, Phil, please-"

But Philip cut across her, "Then what, Alex? Talk to me."

Finally the tears were flowing freely and she hung her head with the shame of what she was to say next, what she _needed_ to say before the truth was buried too deep by denial. When she spoke her voice was quietly calm. "I need to report a rape."

* * *

By the time Gene was pulling off the M6 the rain was coming down hard. _Fine, _he thought bitterly_, Why not?_

Rain seemed ironically fitting.


	16. Manchester

**I've wanted to write this chapter for a while, but it was harder than I thought it would be. I had to re-watch the first episode of Life On Mars - not that I'm complaining about that!**

* * *

_O Tell Me The Truth About Love: Chapter Sixteen – Manchester_

The first time Gene drove past he didn't even slow down to look at the individual doors. He didn't need to; he knew this road too well. How could he forget?

The second time he did reduce his speed but continued on the none the less. So much time had past and Gene knew better than to believe that the world had just stood still through all the years he'd missed. But what if…

On the third pass he stopped the car. Somehow he knew that time had frozen over _that_ house. He just knew.

A brisk walk. A confident knock. And then the door was opened.

The colour drained from her face and her lips parted slightly in surprise.

"You goin' to invite me in Tyler?"

Her face went a shade paler, and Gene was anxious for a moment about what effect the shock might have on her. But he needn't have worried. "Guv?" Annie took a step towards Gene and looked him straight in the eye. She raised a trembling hand to his chest and held it there for a moment, felling the steady pounding of his heart. "DCI Hunt." She shook her head, a weak smile curving up the corners of her lips, "I should have known." Annie stepped aside and gestured for him to come in.

He followed her through to the small sitting room at the front of the house. Unsure what to say, he said nothing. He had been prepared for any reaction, he had thought, but he'd not anticipated this calm acceptance.

They sat and Annie stared openly at him. "You survived Gene. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but…" she sighed, "It's been _so_ long."

This was too much. "But Annie, your not, I mean, I'm not…" he stuttered, but she just smiled.

"It doesn't matter how you're here Gene. It's that you're alive that matters. You've been missed."

"But Annie, I'm not just alive! I haven't changed, I haven't aged, aren't you-"

"Neither had Sam," she said simply and Gene had no answer to that. "It's Cartwright by the way, Gene. My name I mean." Annie told him calmly, "I change it back a few years ago. It was my Mum's idea, before she died, said it might help me get over him. I thought I had. But then I had to lose him all over again." She fell silent and Gene waited, though the questions exploded inside his head.

Annie got up and looked straight at Gene, "There's someone you should see while you're here. Come with me?" She asked. Gene hesitated as he digested her words. He nodded. Of course he'd go with her. Sam had trusted her, he trusted her. She was the only one now.

* * *

There was no wind as the unlikely pair made their way through the cemetery, but although the air was still, it was painfully cold. Gene was thankful for his coat and gloves. He looked across at Annie out of the corner of his eye. He hadn't expected her to look so thin; the years had not been kind.

"Where we goin' Annie?" he asked, though he was almost sure he had guessed.

"Still just as impatient, I see," she said and laughed quietly to herself, there had been a time when she would not have dared to speak to her DCI that way, but times had changed. Gene smiled too, Sam would be proud of her.

Annie stopped beside one of the newer looking graves, turned to him and spoke in a quiet voice, "Meet the Sam you never met."

Gene looked down at the name on the simple black gravestone. _Sam Tyler_. He had seen it coming but the reality of seeing Sam's grave was no easier. The dates did nothing to help the unsettled feeling in his gut either. _1969-2006_. He had considered visiting this graveyard as he had driven up to Manchester but not to see this, "What happened to the memorial plaque from when he, you know, after the accident in the Cortina?"

"It's still there, but I don't visit it as often as I used to. He's not there Gene, he's here. We never had a body to burry and now I think I understand why. It was hard not having somewhere to visit him, I needed to feel close to him, I still do sometimes, and those are the times when I'm grateful for this." They stood quietly for a moment, before Annie added, "I think he would have like this. Us being here, now. He would have wanted us to understand his choice."

Gene fidgeted uncomfortably. "But-" he paused, searching for the words to describe how he felt, "but this Sam didn't know us."

"Oh yes he did Gene." She said turning quickly to face him, taking hold of his hands in hers. "He did, and that's why he jumped." She smiled sadly, "he came out of the coma in 2006, he got 'home' but he had to leave us to do it. He left us that day on the train, don't you remember? But he came back, Gene, he came back to save us."

Gene nodded, remembering Alex telling him something similar when he'd asked her. Still, Gene had difficulty seeing this Sam and the one he had know as one person, but Annie's certainty was helping him to believe. Alex was still Alex in 2008 so why shouldn't Sam be too? It was easier to accept with Alex, he had known her in both times. He wished he'd had the chance to meet this Sam.

Annie saw the pain in Gene's eyes as he considered all that had happened. They stood side by side and time stood still beside them.

"You'd better drive me home, Gene. Time for a cup of tea."

He nodded, giving one last look at the engraved stone. He reached out and gently touched the cold surface for a moment, then he turned away.

* * *

Annie passed him a steaming mug but did not sit down, "There's something I want you to see, I'll just be a moment." She disappeared up the stairs and returned a few minutes later with a worn blue covered notebook, lose pages where sticking out at the sides. She handed it to him and Gene stared down at the blank cover, unsure whether to open it or not.

"What is it Annie?"

"Have a look," she prompted.

He opened the book. Inside were pages and pages of Sam's neat handwriting, each page started with a different heading. There were pages labelled: films, music, sport, wars. It went on and on. "What am I looking at?"

"Sam gave it to me, the first week I knew him. The detail is amazing, he talks about things that he couldn't have know. He predicted things that didn't happen until after he died. I kept it hidden away for ages, even forgot I had it for a while, but a few years after I lost him I found it again and I read it all." She shook her head, smiling, "Over the next few years every time something big happen I'd check Sam's notes, and every time it was there. So I started thinking about what he'd said when he'd arrived, about his accident, and I started wondering: What if?"

She lifted her head to meet his eyes and Gene held his breath as he listened, his hands gripping the blue notebook tightly.

"I looked him up Gene - he was a DCI, here at GMP. I waited a couple of months and then finally one day I saw him. That's when I knew for sure. Here was our Sam, just as I remembered him. Full of life..."

Her voice died away, Gene reached over and gave Annie's hand a gentle squeeze.

"I'll always remember the day of his accident, it was on the news, on the radio, in the papers. Everywhere I went there he was. By the time he came out of the coma I'd worked it all out. The notebook entries stop in 2006, you see, so I knew that his life here was coming to an end. The day he jumped my heart broke all over again, but it had to be, don't you see Gene. He had to jump so he could live with us."

"Didn't you go an' see him, after he woke up?"

She shook her head, "And say what?"

Gene said nothing.

"I needed him in1973 more than I needed him here, I had to let him go Gene."

He nodded. The old friends slipped into a comfortable silence, each remembering the man who had tied them together.

"So what about you, Gene? Last I heard you were missing presumed dead along with your DI." She watched him expectantly, and so Gene told her. He told her about Alex, about her parents, about Layton, about the boat, and finally about waking up here in a world where he was always out of step.

"And what about DI Drake?" Annie asked.

"What about her? She got home, she got what she wanted, end of story."

"Is it Gene?" She knew she was pushing her luck but Annie knew Gene well enough to see he was holding back, "You must have cared about her, the papers in '82 said you followed her onto the boat even though you knew there was a bomb."

"She was my DI, part of the team. I couldn't just let her die."

Annie nodded, Gene had always looked out for his team, no denying it, but she sensed there was more. "And now? She knows you're here?"

"She knows I woke up in 2008 if that's what you mean."

"And how does she feel about that?"

"How would I know!? Look, I didn't come here to talk about DI Bloody Drake!"

Annie raised her eyebrows at his outburst but made no comment. DCI Hunt had been able to frighten her once but so much had happened since then, she would no longer be intimidated but his shouting.

"Sorry Annie," he apologised a minute later. Talking about Alex was too raw, the pain was too fresh.

"I'm sorry too Gene. I shouldn't have pushed it, old habits die-hard."

"You interviewing me Cartwright? Using your psychiatry on me?"

"Psychology, Guv."

"I know it is, Alex." He looked up sharply, "Annie, I meant Annie." He sighed, "That was Alex's way too, she could see things in people that I never noticed, could find patterns even when there was obvious link." He looked down at his tightly clenched hands. "We were a good team. More than a team, for a while… But she's got her ex back now, and she's got her daughter. She doesn't need me."

Annie watched him sadly. "So what will you do now?"

"I need to get back, I don't belong here. If Sam could get back then so can I."

"What about the man who shot Alex? Arthur Layton?"

Gene sat back, stunned. "Bloody hell. I hadn't even thought-" Gene got up, unable to sit still as his mind raced. "He's got to know something. He has to be part of this." He turned to Annie and grinned, "You're brilliant Cartwright, I'll find Layton and I'll get back to the 80's."

She returned his smile but it quickly faded, "You'll be leaving now, won't you Gene?"

He looked back at her, his smile disappearing too, "I have to know Annie," he said, feeling guilty at leaving so soon.

"It's ok Gene. I understand." She paused. "In case I don't see you again Gene, good luck with everything."

"You'll see me Annie. I'll visit you when I get back. I should have been better at staying in contact when I had the chance."

"How can that work Gene?" She asked shaking her head, "You'll visit me in the past?"

"I don't know," he admitted, with half a smile. "But I'll manage it somehow." His eye caught on the blue covered notebook and a deep sense of regret washed over him at not having the time to read it, "Annie? Could I borrow Sam's book?"

A flash of panic crossed her aged face and Gene instantly wished he hadn't asked.

"Oh Gene-"

"Forget it. I shouldn't have asked."

"It's all I have left of him. I know I have some of his clothes and books and most of his records, but he wrote that, and when I read it I can still hear his voice. I'm sorry Gene," she looked away, ashamed.

"It's alright Annie, I shouldn't have mentioned it." An unpleasant silence filled the room as Gene edged away.

Annie followed him to the front door where she pulled the reluctant Gene into her for a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around him. Gene awkwardly returned the hug; she was still Sam's missus even though he was long gone now, and he could tell that he had upset her.

"It was good to see you Gene."

"Yeah, well. It was good to see you an' all."

Annie smiled, "Look after yourself Gene. You've been given a second chance, I know you don't see it like that but it's true." He managed half a smile before he turned away, heading to his car. "Gene?" He looked back towards the house. Annie paused for a moment, struggling to find the right words, "I learnt something important from my time with Sam. I learnt that being happy is the most important thing, it doesn't matter where, or _when_, you find it, but when you've found it you've got to grab it with both hands and not let it slip away from you. I want you to be happy Gene, you deserve it."

She hesitated but Gene knew she had more to say, " I know you want to find Layton, you're on your own personal mission now and you're just like Sam – once you've got an idea into your head there nothing I can do to change your mind. But please Gene, remember this: Sam was only happy once he'd accepted where he was and stopped fighting to get away."


End file.
